The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected abdominal scars and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected painful scars, prior to June 22, 2023, and a rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter, for further development.
The deciding factor: The remand is necessary due to the inadequacy of the current VA examination in addressing all aspects of the Veteran's claims.
- Claimed conditions
- abdominal scars, painful scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24001739
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral), posterior trunk scars, and painful scars. However, it granted a rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability from August 30, 2022, an earlier effective date of April 10, 2019, for service connection for painful trunk scars, and an earlier effective date of November 9, 2020, for TDIU and DEA.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for abdominal scars and kidney cancer residuals but granted a separate 30 percent rating for the left nephrectomy due to kidney cancer.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of November 20, 2012, and no earlier, for the grant of eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 USC chapter 35 but denied earlier effective dates for service connection claims and increased ratings.
- Granted
The Board granted the veteran's appeal and reinstated a 10 percent disability rating for painful scars effective July 22, 2022, due to improper reduction of the rating.
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.