Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and authorization of medical records from Dr. Perofsky.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased disability ratings for his right shoulder disabilities and surgical scars, as well as his claim for TDIU. The case will be remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for erectile dysfunction, residuals of prostate cancer, and scars, status post prostatectomy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected abdominal scar is granted a 10% rating, effective from June 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle arthrodesis, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia and total knee arthroplasty, posttraumatic stress disorder, left ankle arthroplasty, tinnitus, right hip degenerative joint disease, and left hip degenerative joint disease, are found to be of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he was in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of his death. However, the Veteran did not have a total rating due to a service-connected disability prior to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment prior to March 27, 2014. After that date, no single disability is rated as 100 percent disabling or solely responsible for his inability to work.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a vision disability associated with corneal scar, cataracts, and dry eye, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for a scar above the left eyebrow. The decision also noted that the Veteran's residuals of a fractured middle finger metacarpal, left hand are remanded.

The Veteran's eye disability, including bilateral refractive error status post keratotomy and eye scars status post keratotomy, is rated as noncompensable. A separate noncompensable rating for eye scars status post keratotomy has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of median sternotomy, depression, left leg fracture, vertigo, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as his hearing loss and tinnitus would have no impact on his employability. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a claim for TDIU.

Effective dates of November 8, 1986 have been granted for the grants of service connection for right-sided rib fractures, residuals of a right scapula fracture, and trunk scarring as residual of a right pneumothorax.,An initial disability rating of 20 percent has been assigned for osteomyelitis of the left ilium from February 1, 1992 to June 3, 1994, in excess of 20 percent from July 6, 1995, and in excess of 10 percent from February 1, 1997.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating were denied. The intervertebral disc syndrome was rated at 20 percent, the painful scar at 10 percent, and the postoperative scar associated with IVDS remains noncompensably rated.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee medial meniscectomy with posttraumatic arthritis and scar was dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal prior to the Board issuing a final decision.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 30, 2010 for the award of a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Education Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is denied for a rating in excess of 20 percent for shell fragment wound of the left deltoid, and for ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from January 21, 2014 onwards. The Veteran also has his initial compensable rating for left deltoid residual scar associated with shell fragment wound denied.,The Veteran's tinnitus is not rated higher than 10 percent since January 21, 2014. His arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease from March 26, 2013 to February 14, 2017 was rated at 60 percent and from February 15, 2017 onwards at 100 percent.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not rated higher than 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected frostbite disabilities and scars are being remanded for further evaluation due to reports of worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as the right ankle disability and tinnitus were rated appropriately, with a separate rating granted for painful scars. The Board found no basis to grant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and SMC were denied in 2005, but she filed new claims in May 2014. The Board finds that the original denial is final because the Veteran did not properly appeal it. The case is now remanded to obtain updated treatment records and conduct VA examinations.