The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to January 12, 2005 for a 10 percent disability rating for his right forehead scar. The evidence did not demonstrate that a factually ascertainable increase in disability occurred within the one-year period preceding the claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of a factually ascertainable increase in disability occurring more than one year prior to the date of the Veteran's claim on January 12, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- right forehead scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20007178
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 112 · Granted: 20% (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 20007178.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a right forehead scar and remanded the claims for service connection of various other disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status or need for regular aid and attendance prior to December 14, 2019 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him so helpless that he required regular assistance.
- Granted
The appeal of the denial of an increased rating for hearing loss is dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for low back disability, left eye disability, and skin disability are granted. Service connection for left eye disability is also granted.,Entitlement to service connection for depressive disorder, vascular disease including hypertension, Raynaud's syndrome, headaches, low back disability, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and a compensable rating for right forehead scar are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death in July 1990, concluding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death.
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