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Board of Veterans' Appeals · AMA series

Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected scars secondary to laceration of chin and right cheek status post motor vehicle accident (claimed as scars, head, face or neck and head trauma) is…

July 30, 2026Citation Nr. A26069995Docket 251020-600073va.gov source

  • Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected scars secondary to laceration of chin and right cheek status post motor vehicle accident (claimed as scars, head, face or neck and head trauma)Denied
  • Entitlement to service connection for a back disabilityRemanded
DecisionAnalysis

Board reasoning

The Board closely reviewed the May 2025 examination of the facial scars, finding no characteristics of disfigurement and no functional impairment to warrant a compensable rating, and thus denied on the basis that the scar criteria were not met. It remanded the back disability claim due to an inadequate June 2025 medical opinion, instructing that a new examination address whether any diagnosed back condition is related to active duty, including the in-service motor vehicle accident, with a reasoned rationale.

Issues

  • Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected scars secondary to laceration of chin and right cheek status post motor vehicle accident (claimed as scars, head, face or neck and head trauma)Denied
  • Entitlement to service connection for a back disabilityRemanded

Authorities

  • Nieves-Rodriguez v. Peake, 22 Vet. App. 295the Board cites Nieves-Rodriguez for requiring adequate medical rationale
  • 7 Vet. App. 55the Board cites Francisco to define the proper standard for increased ratings
  • Gaston v. Shinseki, 605 F.3d 979the Board cites Gaston for the effective date or timing guidance

Extracted with gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07. Citations are kept only when they appear in the decision text.