The Veteran's service-connected shell fragment wound was rated at 30 percent effective March 7, 2016. The Board found that the increase in disability was factually ascertainable as of this date.
The deciding factor: The VA skin disease examination conducted on March 2017 showed one scar at least one-quarter inch wide and scars totaling 5 or more inches in length, which supported a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's shell fragment wound.
- Claimed conditions
- shell fragment wound
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 1, 2023
- Citation
- 23006367
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23006367.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability that had been continuously rated totally disabling for at least ten years immediately preceding his death, or within five years of his discharge from active duty. Therefore, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are denied.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for bullet and shell fragment wounds, as well as other claims due to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities is remanded. The Board requested a medical examination and opinion but found that the provided reports were not substantially compliant with their instructions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's stepson steals his medications, causing him to hide some of them. A new VA examination is needed to determine if he requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect himself from hazards in his daily environment.
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