The Board denied service connection for scars from shrapnel wounds of the left side of the face and the left forearm, finding that there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's assertions regarding his combat experience and private medical evaluations were not sufficient to establish a nexus between his current scarring and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- scars from shrapnel wounds of the left side of the face, scars from shrapnel wounds of the left forearm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23025438
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 23025438.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's scars and his combat status in Vietnam. The Veteran is asked to provide more information about his reported scars, including photographs or medical reports, and VA will attempt to verify his combat service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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