The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his gunshot wound residuals and degenerative changes of the hip joint, finding that the current evaluations adequately reflected the severity of his disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no evidence to support increased disability ratings based on malunion or other complications from the original injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Gunshot wound of the left thigh and fracture of the left femur, Degenerative changes of the coccyx-femoral joint, left hip, Scar on the lateral aspect of the left upper thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 24, 2003
- Citation
- 0336477
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0336477.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to untimely filing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for left hip due to a need for a new medical nexus opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, hip, and lower back pain disabilities due to a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, chronic kidney disease, cell bladder carcinoma, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal issues, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty for training.
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