The Board granted the veteran's claims for service connection for facial, chest, and back scars as residuals of basal cell carcinoma. The RO assigned a 10 percent rating for the facial scars and noncompensable ratings for the chest and back scars.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed that the veteran had multiple basal cell carcinomas on his face, chest, and back which were treated with excisions and resulted in residual scars. The VA examiner opined that these scars were related to chronic sun exposure during military service.
- Claimed conditions
- facial scars, chest scar, back scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2004
- Citation
- 0415594
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (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 0415594.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for the proposed reduction of facial scars, an increased rating for tinnitus, and service connection for migraines have been dismissed due to untimely filings or lack of good cause.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's chest scar, which resulted from a burn injury during her INACDUTRA period in November 2020, is service-connected.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the August 2023 rating decision granting a TDIU was not an initial decision, making the appellant eligible for direct payment of fees from past due benefits awarded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board found that the appellant is eligible to receive fees from past due benefits awarded in the portion of the June 2024 rating decision granting higher ratings for bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic neuropathy. The appeal was denied regarding eligibility for fees related to a chest scar rating.
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.