The Veteran's shell fragment wounds of the left upper arm have manifested with slight symptoms involving Muscle Group III, and minimal scarring without evidence of fascial defect, atrophy, or impaired tonus.,For the appeal period prior to June 7, 2016, the Veteran’s painful, superficial scar demonstrated very mild pain upon palpation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's SFW residuals did not meet criteria for a compensable rating due to slight disability and no loss of muscle substance or impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Residual Scars of a Shell Fragment Wound to the Left Upper Lateral Arm with Injury to Muscle Group III"}, {"condition_name":"Painful Superficial Scar on Left Upper Arm"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20075085
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
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