The veteran's appeal for a higher rating and earlier effective date was granted. The disability remains rated at 30 percent, with the effective date remaining unchanged.
The deciding factor: The VA found that the veteran's residuals of a left chest shell fragment wound included injuries to Muscle Groups II, III, and IV, warranting a 30 percent evaluation. The earlier effective date was granted based on the RO's finding that the disability existed prior to October 18, 1971.
- Claimed conditions
- Muscle Group II (Latissimus Dorsi), Muscle Group III, Muscle Group IV
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2005
- Citation
- 0502167
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,055 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0502167.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a left shoulder gunshot wound is granted, with the addition of Muscle Groups I and II as additional service-connected residuals.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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