The Board has determined that the Veteran's chest muscle strain does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 5321, and therefore denied his claim.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show any debridement or infection; no scarring; no evidence of fascial defect, atrophy, or impaired tonus; and no impairment of function or metallic fragments retained in muscle tissue. The Veteran's chest muscle strain was classified as a slight disability under Diagnostic Code 5321.
- Claimed conditions
- chest muscle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19195862
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 19195862.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating for various disabilities, including a chest muscle strain, right arm disability, erectile dysfunction (ED), and right shoulder disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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