Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's scar of the left lower medial leg is painful and warrants a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran is granted TDIU based on major depressive disorder and SMC at the housebound rate effective January 24, 2014. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include major depressive disorder, pseudofolliculitis barbae, residual pseudofolliculitis barbae scar, painful scars, and recurrent abscesses (MRSA).

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for increased ratings and service connection have been denied as the increase in disability was not factually ascertainable within one year of his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of his right arm disorder, including whether it was incurred in or caused by active duty service. The initial compensable disability evaluation for right forearm scar residuals remains denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for TBI residuals, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, increased rating for tinnitus, and increased rating for forehead scar due to additional development needs.

Effective date prior to June 26, 2017 for service connection of lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, surgical scars, and panic disorder and agoraphobia are denied as a matter of law.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right elbow disability and remanded it. The claims for initial compensable evaluations for inguinal hernia and hernia scar are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinea unguium pedis, to include unstable or painful scars is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including IHP and its secondary effects such as edema of the feet, hands, bunions, a ruptured duodenal ulcer, a scar associated with a duodenal ulcer, and diabetes mellitus type II. The Board found that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has identified the need for additional development of records from the Boston VAMC and associated outpatient clinics, as well as an examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed cold injury residuals. The claims will be remanded pending receipt of these records and completion of the examination.

The Veteran's pilonidal cyst scar caused ongoing and worsening pain throughout the period on appeal, but was not unstable or associated with underlying soft tissue damage. The scars of the extremities and posterior trunk also caused functional impairment.,The Veteran’s scars of the extremities and posterior trunk did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for scars of the lower extremities is denied, and his TDIU prior to September 5, 2015, is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his employment history.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The herniorrhaphy scar remains at a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral inguinal hernia, status post repair, is currently rated as 0 percent disabling. The Board has found that the evidence does not show a recurrence of her inguinal hernias during the period on appeal.,An issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for residual scars secondary to the service-connected bilateral inguinal hernia, status post repair, is remanded due to the need for an examination.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disease and other disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims due to the need for additional medical records and information.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that neither a respiratory nor cardiovascular disease was incurred in or aggravated by service or causally related to service-connected disorders. The Veteran's PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with scar is granted, as the Board finds that her symptoms are etiologically related to her active duty service. Additionally, she was awarded special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of a creative organ due to surgical removal of both ovaries during her service.