The veteran's service-connected right foot and thigh disabilities have not been rated higher than the current 20% and 10% ratings, respectively.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding of more severe disability that would warrant an increased rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right foot, Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2003
- Citation
- 0300360
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0300360.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that service-connected PTSD and residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh did not cause or contribute substantially to the Veteran's death from cardiovascular disabilities. The expert opinion concluded there was less than a 50% chance that these conditions caused or aggravated his fatal cardiac conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, shrapnel wounds, and lymphoma, are rated at a combined 60 percent. However, the VA compensation examiners concluded that his disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an increased evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh, involving Muscle Group XIV. The claim for an increased evaluation for the right forearm was denied and a compensable evaluation for the abdomen was also denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The veteran's PTSD, right thigh shell fragment wound residuals, and varicose veins of the right leg have been rated at their maximum levels. The combined rating is 90 percent, which prevents him from holding gainful employment.
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