Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy, are of such severity as to preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from achieving a vocational goal as an automotive supervisor, and the Board finds that achievement of such a goal is not reasonably feasible.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a video conference hearing and reissuing the Statement of the Case at her most recent address. The issues include higher initial ratings for various hip and knee disabilities, as well as service connection for bilateral shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied as she did not meet the evidentiary burden in regards to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's combined rating is 50%, and his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and has not had such a disability at any point since filing his claim for service connection.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's left calf wound disability has manifested as a moderate muscle disability due to pain, stiffness, leg cramps, a residual shrapnel fragment, inability to sit on hard surfaces for long periods of time, and tenderness, but a moderately severe or severe muscle disability has not been shown during the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being remanded for additional examination and development as the last VA examinations were conducted over 6 years ago.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of malignant melanoma, diagnosed as a scar, are related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, headaches, and recurrent bartholinitis with a scar) preclude her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity prior to October 30, 2015 that they preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including the issue of entitlement to a TDIU. As such, the Board dismisses the appeal for a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and scar disability did not prevent him from securing or following gainful employment prior to his death in December 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left eyebrow scar, optic nerve damage with defective vision and glaucoma in the left eye, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis of both shoulders, degenerative arthritis of the spine, cerebral concussion with impairment of balance, maxillary sinusitis, residuals dislocation of the 2nd and 3rd toes on the left foot, and burns to the right leg, meet the schedular percentage requirements for a TDIU since February 7, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, are not of such severity to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The evidence does not show the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for a right eye condition, including existing disabilities of glaucoma and corneal herpetic disease and resultant scarring. The case has been remanded to obtain additional records related to the July 2014 corneal debridement procedure performed at the Long Beach VAMC.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals of a head injury caused or aggravated by his service, and denied all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right inguinal hernia residuals, including the post-surgical scar, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and evaluation of all residuals.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for his right knee scar and service connection for a left knee condition secondary to the right knee scar have been dismissed as he has withdrawn both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot scar is evaluated at a compensable rating of 10 percent.