The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for his right chest shell fragment wound, muscle group I, minor arm was denied. The Board found that the symptoms were not distinct from those of muscle group II and concluded that assigning a separate rating would constitute impermissible pyramiding.,For the appeal period from April 3, 2012, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted his claim for TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was previously service connected for muscle group I and II injuries but now has symptoms that are more closely related to his right shoulder disability, which precludes the assignment of a separate rating for muscle group I.
- Claimed conditions
- Right chest shell fragment wound, Right wrist shell fragment wound
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23059520
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 23059520.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 claims for further development and readjudication due to inconsistencies in the evidence regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of a right fibula fracture, left hand shell fragment wound, and right chest shell fragment wound have been denied as there is no evidence of any compensable disability.,There are no scars or other service-connected conditions affecting the Veteran's hands or chest that warrant separate evaluations. The Veteran has full range of motion in all joints and normal neurological examination results.,The Veteran is currently unemployed, but this does not affect his entitlement to a TDIU as there is no indication of any impairment due to service-connected disabilities.
- 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.
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