The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a shrapnel wound to the right thorax was denied. His claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities was also denied, as his service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The veteran's residuals of a shrapnel wound to the right side of the thorax are currently rated as moderate disability (10% rating), and there is no evidence supporting a higher rating based on moderately severe muscle injury. The veteran's osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, which he contends is secondary to his service-connected condition, was also denied.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, Residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right side of the thorax with injury to the serratus anterior muscle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 3, 2006
- Citation
- 0606273
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 0606273.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine, and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder and left shoulder based on evidence showing that these conditions had onset during active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied a higher rating for the right shoulder disability and service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right and left shoulders, finding that these conditions are related to in-service injuries.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for further clarification and examination regarding the Veteran's right shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss. The claims will be reviewed again with new medical opinions.
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