Scars — all decisions

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with persistent depressive disorder and alcohol abuse disorder (GAD) is shown to preclude the Veteran from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his work and education background from November 1, 2012.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, a right knee disability, and a low back disability but denied the claims for an earlier effective date for hypertension and distal lateral surgical scar of the right long finger, depression, bilateral hearing loss, and a right elbow disability. The Veteran was also granted an initial 10 percent rating for hypertension.

The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, horizontal surgical scars of the anterior neck, and major depressive disorder (MDD), but granted an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability as of November 12, 2015.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for left and right knee strains, granted separate 10 percent ratings for painful, noncompensable limitation of flexion of the knees, granted service connection for back condition and related radiculopathies, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right shoulder condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for painful penile scars but denied a compensable evaluation for genital warts.

The appeal for service connection and increased ratings was dismissed due to untimely filing of the notice of disagreement.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left wrist and right ankle disabilities, as well as a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance, finding no evidence that he required such assistance prior to September 21, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for type II diabetes and bilateral leg scarring for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on whether the conditions are secondary to service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from July 1, 2016, to June 25, 2017, and beginning June 26, 2017, due to his service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) status post coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right inguinal scar (painful) as there was no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae with scarring due to the Veteran's failure to attend an examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and other benefits due to insufficient evidence of disability severity beyond the current ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral maxillary sinusitis, right foot sural neuropathy, right fifth metatarsal surgical scar, and GERD.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected HIV infection with fibromatoses, and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for an abdominal scar from an appendectomy, also as secondary to the service-connected HIV infection with fibromatoses.

The Board granted a rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for the Veteran's scar from spinal surgery.

The veteran was granted service connection for sleep apnea and an initial rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, while other claims were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating prior to June 10, 2025, for left index finger scar and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for residual of left index finger laceration.