The veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for residuals of a shrapnel injury with foreign bodies to the left side of the face, left ear, left side of the neck, and rupture of the left eardrum was denied as there was no evidence of functional loss, moderate muscle injury, orthopedic or neurological abnormalities, tender or painful scars, or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show any impairment of function resulting from the shrapnel wounds to his left face, left neck, and left ear. There was no evidence of functional loss, moderate muscle injury, orthopedic or neurological abnormalities, tender or painful scars, or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a shrapnel injury with foreign bodies to the left side of the face, left ear, left side of the neck, and rupture of the left eardrum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2009
- Citation
- 0902146
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,350 · Granted: 26% (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 0902146.
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