BVA decisions by condition
Scars other of head face or neck: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a scars other of head face or neck issue in 3,780 decisions. It granted the scars other of head face or neck issue in 23.2% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 33.8%, and remanded it in 41.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 40.7% were granted.
Decisions
3,780
2017–2026
Granted
23.2%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
40.7%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
41.4%
Denied: 33.8%
Scars other of head face or neck outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 334 | 20.1% | 39.5% | 33.5% |
| 2018 | 534 | 22.7% | 40.6% | 35.6% |
| 2019 | 516 | 20.7% | 35.1% | 42.2% |
| 2020 | 373 | 17.7% | 33.0% | 48.0% |
| 2021 | 351 | 26.2% | 27.6% | 45.9% |
| 2022 | 362 | 24.9% | 24.9% | 51.9% |
| 2023 | 387 | 22.0% | 28.9% | 49.6% |
| 2024 | 394 | 28.2% | 31.0% | 39.1% |
| 2025 | 398 | 24.6% | 39.4% | 31.7% |
| 2026 | 131 | 29.8% | 34.4% | 34.4% |
Evidence in granted and denied scars other of head face or neck decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the scars other of head face or neck issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable VA exam | 504 | 68.0% | 34.6% | +33.4 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 322 | 71.0% | 37.9% | +33.2 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 489 | 64.6% | 36.0% | +28.6 pts |
| Buddy statement | 124 | 63.0% | 39.9% | +23.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 907 | 48.7% | 38.0% | +10.7 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 143 | 50.6% | 40.3% | +10.3 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,915 | 42.2% | 34.9% | +7.3 pts |
| Combat service | 264 | 44.8% | 40.4% | +4.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 60.3% of the decisions that granted scars other of head face or neck.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 43.7% of grants and 14.1% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often scars other of head face or neck was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,370 | 41.0% | 40.5% | +0.5 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 2,577 | 37.6% | 51.7% | −14.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied scars other of head face or neck
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established82
- Caused by the service-connected disability39
- Criteria for service connection met23
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met14
- Service connection established13
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim6
- Meets criteria for 10 percent rating under DC 78045
- Warrants 10 percent rating under DC 78045
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim107
- No current diagnosis76
- Criteria for compensable rating not met43
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis39
- Current diagnosis established37
- Service records negative or silent34
- Scar not painful or unstable31
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service30
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent scars other of head face or neck decisions
Granted
Severance of head scar was improper; Secondary to restored TBI
Credible lay report of skin growth during service; Supported by later medical records; Benefit of the doubt applied
Later examinations noted tenderness to palpation but not painful scars.; No evidence demonstrated actual improvement in ability to function.; Reduction was improper as improvement was not shown.
Denied
Scar measured one square centimeter; Scar was painful but not associated with underlying soft tissue damage or instability; Evidence persuasively weighs against findings supporting a compensable rating
Evidence does not support higher rating under DC 7800.; Veteran does not meet criteria for gross distortion/asymmetry.; Veteran does not meet criteria for multiple characteristics of disfigurement.
Neck scar measured 6.5 cm x .2 cm; Hyperpigmentation did not exceed six square inches; Scar was asymptomatic and not painful
Rules that apply to scars other of head face or neck claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your scars other of head face or neck case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a scars other of head face or neck issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.