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Granted

The Veteran's service-connected shrapnel scars of the right chest and arm have been granted initial ratings of 20 percent each, effective September 18, 2008.

The deciding factor: The VA examination showed that both scars were superficial, adherent to underlying tissue, without evidence of skin breakdown, painful to touch, and characterized by extensive keloid formation. The chest scar measured 7 cm x 35 cm (total area: 245 sq.cm) and the right arm scar measured 9 cm x 13 cm (total area: 117 sq.cm). These scars met the criteria for a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7801, as they were deep or caused limited motion in an area exceeding 77 square centimeters.

Claimed conditions
Shrapnel Scar of the Right Chest, Shrapnel Scar of the Right Arm
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
20%
Decision date
February 1, 2012
Citation
1203747

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 1203747.

What this means for you

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