The Veteran's initial claim for service connection was granted, and he is currently receiving a 10% rating for his residual surgical scar from February 13, 2009 to December 14, 2014. The Veteran’s left shoulder disability has been rated as noncompensable prior to October 3, 2013, and at 20% thereafter.,The Board found that the Veteran's residual surgical scar did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804, but granted him an initial 10% rating from February 13, 2009 to December 14, 2014. The left shoulder disability was rated as noncompensable prior to October 3, 2013 and at 20% thereafter.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's residual surgical scar did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804 due to its stable nature.
- Claimed conditions
- Residual surgical scar, left lower abdomen, Left shoulder disability (status post left clavicle fracture with degenerative arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20079821
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 20079821.
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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