The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right inguinal and femoral hernias do not warrant a higher disability rating than the current 20 percent, as his symptoms are not consistent with the criteria for a 30 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The veteran's postoperative residuals of right inguinal and femoral hernia repairs have been rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 7338 (inguinal hernia) due to their recurrent nature, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they are not well supported by a truss or readily reducible.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Inguinal Hernia, Right Femoral Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 31, 2002
- Citation
- 0218817
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 0218817.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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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