Scars Board decisions

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and increased rating for various disabilities, all starting from January 1, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for several conditions effective April 16, 2007, but no earlier, and denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for constipation. SMC based on the need for aid and attendance was granted from August 30, 2013.

The Board granted service connection for vein scar, left upper extremity as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hemochromatosis.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected anterior chest and base of penis scar, but denied a compensable disability rating for his reoccurring hydrocele and varicocele condition and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The appeal was dismissed due to a procedural defect involving concurrent elections for review.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a left foot soft tissue injury and a separate compensable rating for a left-forefoot scar, as additional evidence is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for post spermatocele scar as the area of the scar did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, denied service connection for bilateral flat feet, respiratory disability, vertigo, and a compensable rating for bilateral hydrocele. The claim for service connection for kidney disability was granted, and a 10 percent rating for hypertension was assigned.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's painful scar associated with his cervical spine disability from December 4, 2019, and remanded other issues for further development.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back disability, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, limitation of pronation and flexion of the right elbow, and scarring, but granted a 40 percent rating from March 26, 2024 to September 17, 2024.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for all issues related to increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right wrist strain, testicular pain, TMJ with bruxism, and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), while denying increased ratings for PTSD, left wrist strain, abdominal scarring status post appendectomy, chronic sinusitis, IBS, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board also granted special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied increased ratings for kidney cancer, kidney removal, painful periumbilical scar status post partial nephrectomy, and surgical scars status post partial nephrectomy. The effective date of service connection was granted as May 13, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for residuals from a right inguinal hernia, to include a surgical scar, and a low back disability. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee and heart disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for residuals of a fifth finger fracture and a scar to the right hand, as well as an increased evaluation for a painful scar.

The Board granted an effective date of April 16, 2014, for the award of service connection for verruca vulgaris scars.

The veteran withdrew all claims on appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to consider them further.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the service connection of various conditions related to lung cancer, including scars, pain, and hearing loss, but denied an earlier effective date for non-small cell lung cancer itself.

The Board granted service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to tinnitus and denied the claims for service connection for TBI, sinusitis, higher ratings for left CTS, left inguinal hernia, and a scar associated with left inguinal hernia. The decision also remanded several other conditions for further development.

The Board found that the reduction of the rating for service-connected painful left foot scar from 10 percent to 0 percent, effective July 19, 2023, was not proper and is void ab initio.