The Board has determined that the veteran's lower abdominal pain and left sural neuropathy are proximately due to, or aggravated by, his service-connected bilateral inguinal hernia repairs. The Board also found that these conditions do not constitute a separate disability for which service connection is in order. However, the Board concluded that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine may be related to his service-connected bilateral inguinal hernias.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports the conclusion that the veteran's lower abdominal pain and left sural neuropathy are secondary to his service-connected bilateral inguinal hernia repairs. The Board also found no separate disability for which service connection is warranted, but concluded that the lumbar spine condition may be related to his service-connected inguinal hernias.
- Claimed conditions
- Abdominal Pain, Left Sural Neuropathy, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2006
- Citation
- 0617140
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,440 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0617140.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant medical records, including SSA disability records and Federal prison medical records, and request an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as his lumbar spine disorder. The Board found the evidence in balance regarding whether these conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and the Board finds that his back disability may be related to service. The case is remanded for a VA examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his ability to independently ambulate without aids.
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