The Veteran seeks service connection for an episiotomy scar. The RO denied her claim as the condition had not been diagnosed, but she reported presence of scar tissue from the episiotomy in August 2006. Additional development is needed to determine if the episiotomy scar is related to her son's birth and to obtain her service treatment records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have an episode of service-connected condition that was aggravated by a disease or injury, nor was there any evidence of exposure to a presumptive agent. The claim must be remanded for further development including obtaining the Veteran's service treatment records and scheduling her for an examination to determine if she has an episiotomy scar and its etiology.
- Claimed conditions
- episiotomy scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2012
- Citation
- 1204199
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 1204199.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial rating for her painful episiotomy scar is currently at 10 percent, and a separate noncompensable rating is assigned for the episiotomy scar. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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