The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for right inguinal hernia, finding no new and material evidence that would support reopening of the claim.
The deciding factor: The evidence received since the November 1970 rating decision did not provide a new or significant perspective on whether the right inguinal hernia was incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Inguinal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2002
- Citation
- 0217115
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0217115.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's initial ratings for allergic rhinitis and right inguinal hernia have been granted, with a 10% rating assigned in each case. The reduction of the scar status post inguinal hernia repair from 10% to non-compensable has also been restored.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD, a compensable rating for right inguinal hernia, and an earlier effective date for service connection of the hernia. The claim for service connection for gastrointestinal problems was remanded.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied higher initial ratings for erectile dysfunction, right inguinal hernia, and scar -anterior trunk, abdomen (s/p right inguinal hernia repair), but granted a 10 percent rating for paresthesia -inferior maxillary fifth cranial nerve (now claimed as bruxism).
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the appellant is not entitled to an effective date prior to July 6, 2016 for the grant of service connection for status post right inguinal hernia repair and prior to October 16, 2018 for the grant of service connection for painful scar, status post right inguinal hernia repair.,The Board has also determined that the appellant's claims for a compensable disability rating for status post right inguinal hernia repair, a compensable disability rating for scar status post right inguinal hernia repair, and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for painful scar, status post right inguinal hernia repair are remanded. Additionally, the appellant's claim for TDIU is also remanded.
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