The Veteran's residuals of a shrapnel wound to the back resulted in no identifiable muscle impairment or scar, and thus do not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations found no scar or muscle injury from the shrapnel wound on the posterior trunk. The Veteran’s decreased muscle strength was attributed to his lumbar stenosis rather than the shrapnel wound.
- Claimed conditions
- shrapnel wound to the back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2017
- Citation
- 1707270
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 1707270.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a hip disability on both direct and secondary bases, but granted service connection for residuals of a shrapnel wound to the back.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for residuals of a shrapnel wound to the back, including a hip disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and ensuring that all relevant evidence is considered in deciding the Veteran's claims.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for service connection for a lung condition previously claimed as pneumonia and a shrapnel wound to the back has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim for the shrapnel wound to the back.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.