The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent disability rating for his service-connected ventral hernia, finding that July 9, 2004 was the correct effective date.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to July 9, 2004, and the veteran's claim for an increased rating was filed on that date.
- Claimed conditions
- ventral hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2008
- Citation
- 0814034
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining outstanding private medical records.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for hernia, other than hiatal, specifically ventral, inguinal, and umbilical hernias, finding that the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected disabilities, was a substantial factor in causing these hernias.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including radical cystectomy residuals with colonic pouch, ventral hernia, hypertension, and others, as the evidence did not corroborate the Veteran's reported exposure to Agent Orange or asbestos during service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for ventral hernia and umbilical hernia based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's current disability is related to his active military service.
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