Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities are being remanded to the AOJ for further development, including consideration of additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's lung condition, characterized by recurrent pneumonia and lung scarring, has been rated at a 30 percent level based on post-bronchodilator FEV-1/FVC results between 56 to 70 percent. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding attributing such objective criteria of the Veteran's pulmonary function to his service-connected lung condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, bladder disorder (voiding dysfunction), and residual scar from radical prostatectomy are all found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for lipoma postoperative with residual scar at inner aspect of right arm is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his neurological and muscle symptoms.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining inpatient medical records from Chanute Air Force Base and other relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service connection for painful scars of the left and right feet, associated with plantar fasciitis with heel spurs, was granted effective June 4, 2008.

The Veteran's left quadriceps muscle disability, hemorrhoids, and left knee scar have been rated based on the severity of their symptoms and functional impairment. The initial rating for each condition has been granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal of increased staged ratings for PTSD, was satisfied with his current rating for burns to his right hand, arm, and wrist, and requested withdrawal of all other issues. The TDIU claim is addressed in a separate remand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, despite potential exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations for his service-connected left and right foot disabilities have been denied. The current evaluations do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has found that the Veteran's skin disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae with scarring, is etiologically related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran sustained an in-service facial laceration resulting in a scar near his right eye, which is now considered service-connected. The issues of diabetes mellitus, type 2 and prostatic hypertrophy are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied service connection for CFS and remanded issues of service connection for various other conditions. The case is now being remanded again to provide a VA examination and address the intertwined issues.

The Veteran's neurologic deficits involving the right buttock and thigh, associated with residual scars, are rated at a 10 percent disability level.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he is granted a TDIU effective September 5, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected scars do not meet or nearly approximate the criteria for a compensable rating, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to evaluate any possible residuals of the Veteran's in-service pongee stick stab wound, and to determine if there is service connection for his left leg condition or scar.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU.