The Veteran's anterior chest and left lower extremity scars associated with his coronary artery bypass graft were granted a rating of 10 percent prior to December 29, 2016. Since then, the scars have not been painful or unstable, so no higher rating is warranted.
The deciding factor: The scars are stable and well-healed since December 29, 2016, and do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Anterior chest scar, Left lower extremity scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20080990
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 granted a 60 percent rating for coronary artery disease from September 1, 2020 to February 22, 2021 and denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of a 100 percent rating for coronary artery bypass surgery and service connection for an anterior chest scar.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and initial ratings for various conditions, except for left upper extremity radial and lower radicular group peripheral neuropathy which was granted an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and remanded issues related to initial ratings for scars associated with chronic urticaria.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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