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Denied

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for the residuals of his left hemithorax gunshot wound was denied. The VA determined that the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the severity and nature of his disability.

The deciding factor: The VA found that the evidence did not support a higher rating as the injury is characterized as moderately severe, which aligns with the current 20 percent rating assigned for Muscle Group II (non-dominant).

Claimed conditions
Left hemithorax gunshot wound
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
20%
Decision date
September 7, 2010
Citation
1033518

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 1033518.

What this means for you

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