The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for abdominal scars as they are not deep, do not have an area of at least 39 square centimeters, are not unstable or painful, and do not result in any disabling effects.
The deciding factor: The scars were found to be superficial with no functional impairment and did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- abdominal scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25033703
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 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 denied a compensable rating for ventral hernia and remanded claims for service connection for depression, increased rating for panulcerative colitis with resection of large intestines, and a compensable rating for abdominal scars.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claim for service connection of abdominal scars to conduct further development and obtain a medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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