The Veteran's initial evaluation for service-connected scarring alopecia was assigned a noncompensable (zero percent) rating. The AOJ must request an appropriate VA examination to evaluate the severity of her disability and its impact on her employability.
The deciding factor: The assignment of an initial evaluation based on information from a VA Disability Benefits Questionnaire that did not address the criteria for scarring alopecia represents a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist which must be corrected on remand.
- Claimed conditions
- scarring alopecia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2020
- Citation
- A20008725
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 A20008725.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lupus and related conditions render her in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of special monthly compensation based on this need.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for scarring alopecia was granted with an effective date of December 19, 2008. The decision is based on newly discovered service treatment records.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for scarring alopecia and dermatitis was granted. The claim for a compensable rating for service-connected scarring alopecia was remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for scarring alopecia was denied, and the effective date for the 20 percent rating was also denied.,The highest schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 7830 is 20 percent, which is the current rating assigned to the Veteran.
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