The veteran's second degree burn scars on his right and left lower extremities do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation guidelines.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show any ulceration, adherence, or functional loss (such as motion limitation) due to the scars.
- Claimed conditions
- second degree burn scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2004
- Citation
- 0405084
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 292 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0405084.
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.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for second degree burn scars, finding no competent evidence of record that shows he has such scars etiologically related to his service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his anxiety disorder and physical disabilities such as knee pain and shoulder impingement syndrome, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to these service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected burn scars and service connection for hearing loss as secondary to those scars. The decision also denied his request to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral knee problems.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and evidence, including VA examinations for employment issues and records related to his Federal disability retirement. The claims for service connection of various conditions and an increased rating for intervertebral disc disease are also pending.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.