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Whole decision: Denied

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 20, 2016, for service connection for forehead laceration with residual scar was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 20, 2016, for service connection for painful forehead scar secondary to the service-connected disability of forehead laceration with residual scar was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for forehead laceration with residual scar was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful forehead scar as secondary to the service-connected disability of forehead laceration with residual scar was denied.

The deciding factor: The effective date claims were not granted because the veteran did not file a formal or informal application for service connection prior to June 20, 2016.,The painful forehead scar claim was not granted as there is no evidence of three or four unstable or painful scars meeting the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804.,The compensable rating claim was denied because the Veteran's scars do not meet any of the eight characteristics of disfigurement, and thus do not warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7800.,The rating in excess of 10 percent claim for painful forehead scar as secondary to the service-connected disability of forehead laceration with residual scar was denied because there is no evidence of three or four unstable or painful scars meeting the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804.

Claimed conditions
forehead laceration with residual scar, painful forehead scar
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
September 12, 2019
Citation
19170861

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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19170861.

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.

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