Scars — all decisions

The Board remands the claims for higher initial and increased ratings for five service-connected disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the Veteran was not properly notified of VA examinations.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right and left foot pes planus, metatarsalgia, and plantar fasciitis, an effective date of April 22, 2020, for the grant of service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a TDIU. However, it denied higher ratings for bilateral cavus and compensable disability ratings for scars.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for headaches and denied a compensable evaluation for a head scar.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, right and left foot disabilities with toe amputations, right and left leg scars, knee disability, and altered gait due to a need for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and various other conditions as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active duty.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent disability rating for superior cluneal nerve damage in the left lower extremity, granted a 20 percent disability rating as of March 22, 2023, for a painful scar status post residuals of a pilonidal cystectomy, and granted an initial 30 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for left and right foot calluses, and a compensable rating for a residual scar from a right groin abscess due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted restoration of the 10 percent rating for residuals of thyroid cancer, status post thyroidectomy and denied a compensable rating for the neck scar, s/p thyroidectomy, as well as ratings in excess of 10 percent for xeroderma and service connection for blurred vision, secondary to the thyroid condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a separate compensable disability rating for scars of the left lower extremity, as these scars should be included in the current 30 percent disability rating assigned for painful scars.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of August 30, 2016 for service connection for urticaria and left eye disability, denied a compensable rating for the left eye disability, and granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for a right upper extremity scar post abscess drainage and remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder pain disability.

The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of painful scars on various parts of the body, as the evidence does not support an earlier date than September 19, 2023.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent evaluation for five or more painful and unstable scars, but other claims were denied.

The Board granted service connection for glioblastoma multiforme and a right temporal scar status post craniotomy, effective from November 30, 2017, with a maximum 100 percent disability rating assigned.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected corneal scarring, right eye, from February 19, 2021, to May 22, 2023.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for an unspecified anxiety disorder and denied a higher rating, while also denying a rating in excess of 10 percent for a neck scar.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and initial ratings for various conditions, except for left upper extremity radial and lower radicular group peripheral neuropathy which was granted an earlier effective date.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected residuals of status post partial nephrectomy with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and a 10 percent rating for scarring associated with those residuals.

The Board remands the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 31, 2023, as the evidence of record is insufficient to properly evaluate the Veteran's claim.