Scars Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that the Veteran's substance abuse disorder was a means to self-medicate symptoms associated with his service-connected psychiatric disabilities and contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's effective date for service connection of PTSD is granted as May 29, 2006, but no earlier. The claims for service connection for digestive disorder, eating disorder, acne, facial scars, and depression are remanded.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for painful scars, left tibia ORIF surgery and remanded the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for left proximal tibia stress fracture, ankle, with MTSS and unspecified mononeuropathy, left lower extremity, saphenous nerve.

The Veteran withdrew all claims in this appeal, and the Board has dismissed the appeals.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for pleomorphic adenoma and nerve damage, to include painful scar as secondary to pleomorphic adenoma, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands all service connection claims for further development, specifically to provide the veteran with adequate VA examinations.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left inguinal herniorrhaphy scar but denied a compensable rating for the left inguinal hernia and a 10 percent evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for residuals of resection of small intestine with peritoneal adhesions and post-operative bilateral ovarian cysts with left oophorectomy, but granted a 10 percent rating for an abdominal scar.

The Board granted service connection for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma as secondary to actinic keratosis, which is a progression of the Veteran's service-connected dermatitis. The effective date for the grant of service connection for painful scars of the face was denied earlier than October 20, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for inguinal hernia and left groin scar, as well as remanded claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her so helpless as to require the aid and attendance of another person, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for scars on the right leg and back of head, as well as left and right knee injuries, due to a lack of evidence supporting an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, scars of the face, psychiatric disorder, and traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease was granted a rating of 30%, 60%, and 100% at different times based on the severity of his symptoms. A 10% rating for scar on anterior chest wall was also granted prior to April 8, 2016.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left forehead scar and denied service connection for anxiety (acquired psychiatric disorder). The claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury was remanded.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the ratings and effective dates assigned to scarring on the back of scalp/neck, bilateral upper extremities, and bilateral lower extremities is dismissed due to claim preclusion.

The Board granted an effective date of April 7, 2009, for service-connected rheumatoid arthritis and scars, but denied increased ratings for the same conditions.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the painful right fifth finger residual laceration scar and dismissed appeals regarding service connection for right knee instability, left knee instability, hypothyroidism, and a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including ankle pain, chronic lower back pain, GERD, hair thinning/loss, IBS, and others, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran was granted an initial 80 percent rating for residual disfigurement status post left total parotidectomy, a separate 10 percent rating for a painful left neck scar from May 9, 2013 to August 27, 2024, and a 10 percent rating for phrenic nerve damage status post left total parotidectomy based on diaphragm paralysis prior to December 14, 2023.