The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for painful scars, posterior trunk scars, and anterior trunk scars status post melanoma removal.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the disabilities existed on or prior to August 10, 2022, which is required for an earlier effective date under the PACT Act.
- Claimed conditions
- painful scars, status post melanoma removal, posterior trunk scars, status post melanoma removal, anterior trunk scars, status post melanoma removal
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25024363
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 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 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.
- Denied
The appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected anterior trunk scars was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Denied
The Board denied an effective date prior to September 19, 2022, for the grant of a 10 percent disability rating for anterior trunk scars and vacated its previous decision dismissing the appeal as untimely.
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