Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his service-connected left knee disabilities in conjunction with other nonservice-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for keloid scarring due to additional development and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from performing gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn regarding the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for hypertension and alternating diarrhea and constipation, as well as service connection for low white blood cell count, nausea, fever and chills, a urinary disability, constant abnormal EKGs, heart murmur and borderline cardiac enlargement, Coumadin toxicity, joint pain, constant vaginal dryness, night sweats, easy bruising/bleeding, tortous descending aorta, unstable creatinine levels, and for earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for painful scars of the anterior trunk, left upper extremity, alternating diarrhea and constipation, anemia, hyperparathyroidism, and headaches.,The Veteran's appeal was also withdrawn regarding her claims for service connection for breast cancer and residuals of a total hysterectomy.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues including increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities and the establishment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.,The Veteran also seeks service connection for hypertension, removal of a brain tumor, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her obstructive ventilator defect and residual scars from a thoracotomy, do not render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pinguecula is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, diagnosed as a depressive disorder, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a scar of the right lower extremity is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a scar of the left lower extremity is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for the residuals of bronchopneumonia is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for defective vision is on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The midline abdominal scar was rated at 20 percent, the postoperative midline abdominal scar at 10 percent, and multiple linear scars of the anterior trunk at noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.,The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, reschedule examinations, and request the submission of a VA Form 21-8940.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left cheek scar and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is less than the schedular percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's facial scar is rated at a 10% disability rating effective May 30, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected puncture wound with scar on the right lower extremity is rated at 10 percent since February 10, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for a residual scar from an insect bite and scarring around the duodenum, both of which are considered direct service connections as there is no evidence of active peptic ulcer disease during or within one year after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral knee and hearing loss, burn scar disability, obstructive sleep apnea, TBI, high blood pressure, back disability, and tinnitus. The effective date for the grant of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was not earlier than September 27, 2012.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Hays Medical Center on June 18, 2013 were not reimbursable as the treatment was not rendered in a medical emergency and VA facilities were readily available.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, do not render him unemployable without regard to advancing age. The evidence shows his disabilities are sufficiently severe to produce unemployability but does not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew all pending claims except for the claim of dependency.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and DEA eligibility are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right shoulder disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease and scar.