The Veteran's claim for service connection for a rectal fissure is denied as there is no persuasive evidence of current disability or in-service incurrence.,Service connection for left hip dysplasia prior to March 21, 2019 is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the severity of her condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a remote left frontal craniotomy for left scalp lump removal is remanded as there are no current findings or symptoms attributable to this condition.,Service connection for a scalp scar prior to April 21, 2022 is denied due to lack of associated underlying soft tissue damage and insufficient disfigurement characteristics.,A rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's scalp scar after April 21, 2022 is remanded as there are no more than two to three characteristics of disfigurement present.,Service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with related depressive symptoms prior to April 18, 2022 is granted at a 50 percent rating. From April 18, 2022, the Veteran's PTSD disability is rated as 70 percent disabling.,Service connection for PTSD with related depressive symptoms from April 18, 2022 is denied due to insufficient evidence of occupational and social impairment.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a current diagnosis of rectal fissure or establish its onset during service. The Veteran's subjective complaints do not align with the clinical findings.,There are no objective findings or symptoms attributable to left hip dysplasia, despite the Veteran reporting pain and functional limitations. Further examination is needed to determine the severity of her condition.,The medical evidence does not support a current diagnosis of remote left frontal craniotomy for left scalp lump removal. The Veteran's reported symptoms do not correlate with this condition.,There are no findings or symptoms attributable to the scalp scar, despite the Veteran reporting pain and functional limitations. Further examination is needed to determine the severity of her condition.,The medical evidence does not support a rating in excess of 30 percent for the scalp scar after April 21, 2022 as there are no more than two to three characteristics of disfigurement present.,Service connection for PTSD with related depressive symptoms prior to April 18, 2022 is granted at a 50 percent rating based on occupational and social impairment. From April 18, 2022, the Veteran's PTSD disability is rated as 70 percent disabling due to deficiencies in most areas.,The medical evidence does not support a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with related depressive symptoms from April 18, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal fissure, left hip dysplasia, remote left frontal craniotomy for left scalp lump removal, scalp scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22067707
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 22067707.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal concerning the disability evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a neck strain is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he does not meet the criteria under either the schedular or extraschedular standards.
- Granted
The Veteran's sinusitis is granted service connection as presumed related to exposure to fine particulate matter during his Gulf War service. His bilateral hearing loss and left eyebrow, scalp scars are not rated higher than the current noncompensable ratings.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not result in his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 19, 2019. The Board denied an earlier effective date for the TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied an initial compensable rating for tension headaches. Several claims were remanded for further development.
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