The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for facial scar residuals of a head injury is being remanded due to the need for further development, including a VA examination.
The deciding factor: The case was remanded because the veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination and there were concerns about fairness if he could not present for an examination knowing that failure would result in denial of his claim.
- Claimed conditions
- facial scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2006
- Citation
- 0628855
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,699 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0628855.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for skin cancer, facial scars, impairment of cranial nerve V and VII, left eye condition with watering and dryness, and left shoulder pain due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted service connection for melanoma and facial scars as secondary to the removal of his service-connected melanoma. The claims are based on exposure to burn pits under the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Board has restored an initial rating of 80 percent for service-connected facial scars, effective February 1, 2025. The Veteran's facial scars are rated under the General Rating Formula for the Skin and meet criteria for a maximum 80 percent rating based on six characteristics of disfigurement.
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