Citation Nr: A25106906 Decision Date: 12/11/25 Archive Date: 12/11/25 DOCKET NO. 250119-511555 DATE: December 11, 2025 ORDER Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for pinguecula is denied. FINDING OF FACT The competent and probative evidence is persuasively against finding that pinguecula has been manifested by scar or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck with one characteristic of disfigurement. CONCLUSION OF LAW The criteria for entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for pinguecula have not been met. 38 U.S.C. § 1155; 38 C.F.R. §§ 4.79, 4.118, Diagnostic Codes 6037, 7800. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION The Veteran had active duty service from August 2023 to July 2024. The matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2024 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In the January 2025 VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) (NOD), the Veteran elected the Direct Review option; therefore, the Board may only consider the evidence of record at the time of the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) decision on appeal. 38 C.F.R. § 20.301. Increased Ratings Disability evaluations are determined by the application of the facts presented to VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule) at 38 C.F.R. Part 4. The percentage ratings contained in the Rating Schedule represent, as far as can be practicably determined, the average impairment in earning capacity resulting from diseases and injuries incurred or aggravated during military service and the residual conditions in civilian occupations. 38?U.S.C. §?1155;?38?C.F.R. §§?3.321(a), 4.1. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations shall be applied, the higher evaluation will be assigned if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 C.F.R. § 4.7. 1. Entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for pinguecula The Veteran is currently in receipt of an initial noncompensable evaluation for pinguecula under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6037-7800. He asserts that a higher rating is warranted. Hyphenated diagnostic codes are used when a rating under one diagnostic code requires use of an additional diagnostic code to identify the basis for the assigned rating; the additional code is shown after the hyphen. Under Diagnostic Code 6037, pinguecula are to be evaluated based on disfigurement under Diagnostic Code 7800. 38 C.F.R. § 4.79, DC 6037. Diagnostic Code 7800 is applicable to burn scars of the head, face, or neck, scars of the head face or neck due to other causes, or other disfigurement of the head, face or neck. Note (1) to Diagnostic Code 7800 provides that the 8 characteristics of disfigurement, for purposes of rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.118, are: (1) scar is 5 or more inches (13 or more cm) in length; (2) scar is at least one-quarter inch (0.6 cm) wide at the widest part; (3) surface contour of scar is elevated or depressed on palpation; (4) scar is adherent to underlying tissue; (5) skin is hypo-or hyper-pigmented in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm); (6) skin texture is abnormal (irregular, atrophic, shiny, scaly, etc.) in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm); (7) underlying soft tissue is missing in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm); and (8) skin is indurated and inflexible in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm). 38 C.F.R. § 4.118, DC 7800. Diagnostic Code 7800 provides that a 10 percent rating is warranted for scar(s) or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck with one characteristic of disfigurement. A 30 percent rating is warranted for scar(s) or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or with two or three characteristics of disfigurement. A 50 percent rating is warranted if there is visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or with four or five characteristics of disfigurement. An 80 percent rating is warranted if there is visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes, (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or with six or more characteristics of disfigurement. 38 C.F.R. § 4.118, DC 7800. Turning to the evidence of record, the Veteran underwent a VA examination in November 2024. The Veteran reported symptoms of itchy, watery, and red eyes and blurry vision in the right eye. He endorsed troubling reading sometimes due to pinguecula and, as an IT technician, trouble seeing pieces inside of a computer. The Veteran's uncorrected and corrected distance and near visual acuity was 20/20 or better bilaterally. There was no anatomical loss, light perception only, extremely poor vision, astigmatism, or diplopia. The examiner found contraction of visual field and bilateral pinguecula. Upon examination, there was no scarring or disfigurement attributable to any eye condition. There is no competent medical evidence linking any visual constriction to pinguecula. In light of the foregoing, the Board finds that the competent and probative evidence is persuasively against finding that pinguecula has been manifested by scar or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck with one characteristic of disfigurement. In reaching this conclusion, the Board finds the November 2024 VA examination to be the most probative evidence of record. There is no medical evidence contradicting the November 2024 examination findings. As there is not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence, the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine is not applicable, and the claim for an initial compensable evaluation for pinguecula is denied. See 38 U.S.C. § 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. §§ 4.3, 4.7. K. Parakkal Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board B Jackson, M. The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.