The Board granted the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for facial scars and psychiatric disability, but denied his claim for service connection for epistaxis. The left jaw disability was rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 9904 due to slight displacement.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no more than slight displacement in the Veteran's left jaw fracture, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 9904.
- Claimed conditions
- facial scars, depressive reaction, competent, with history of adjustment disorder (psychiatric disability), status-post fracture, left zygoma (left jaw disability), chronic lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease and L5-S1 disc space narrowing, status-post dislocation, right great toe, status-post right ankle sprain, epistaxis (recurrent nasal bleeding)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- September 28, 2012
- Citation
- 1233940
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 1233940.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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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