The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected upper lip scar as a scar of the face and denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected upper lip scar as an unstable or painful scar.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's upper lip scar did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under DCs 7800, 7804, or 7805 due to lack of visible or palpable tissue loss and characteristics of disfigurement, as well as insufficient instability or pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Upper lip scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069157
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,350 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20069157.
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.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from April 2, 2016, to November 1, 2022, due to his service-connected back disability.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a right eye corneal scar and an upper lip scar. Service connection for a headache disability due to the right eye corneal scar is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's upper lip scar resulted in pain and tenderness, warranting a 10% rating.
- Whole decision: 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.