The Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for a scalp laceration, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation under either the previous or amended versions of the skin disorders rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show sufficient characteristics of disfigurement to warrant a compensable rating under the current or prior version of Diagnostic Codes 7800-7805.
- Claimed conditions
- scalp laceration
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2006
- Citation
- 0603098
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (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 0603098.
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: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, hypertension, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right and left tennis elbow, left shoulder arthritis, left hand neuropathy, right leg neuropathy, and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome has been granted. The PACT Act expanded the presumptive exposure for hypertension to include veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including back disability, bilateral leg disabilities, right foot and ankle disabilities, right elbow and wrist disabilities, left rib fracture, neck disability, scalp laceration, and migraine headaches. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his nonservice-connected tremor in his right hand.
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