The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for residuals of a laceration of the right ear lobe and for an earlier effective date for separate compensable ratings for scars on various body parts. The veteran's claim for an increased rating was not supported by evidence showing that his condition met the criteria for a compensable rating, while the issue regarding an earlier effective date was denied due to lack of factual ascertainability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the residuals of the laceration did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA regulations. For the separate compensable ratings claim, the Board concluded that there was no evidence showing an increase in disability within one year prior to the receipt of the claim for those ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a laceration of the right ear lobe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2001
- Citation
- 0127321
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0127321.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Whole decision: Denied
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- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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