The veteran's left inguinal hernia scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it has not caused any limitation of motion or function.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the veteran's scar is nontender, superficial, stable, and does not adhere to underlying tissue; there has been no evidence of edema, inflammation, or keloid. The scar did not cause limitation of motion or function.
- Claimed conditions
- left inguinal hernia scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2009
- Citation
- 0901955
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,645 · Granted: 19% (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 0901955.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II associated with herbicide exposure is granted. The claim of an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD to include major depressive disorder moderate and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as entitlements for left inguinal herniorrhaphy and left inguinal hernia scar are denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for various conditions, including bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left inguinal hernia scar, spinal stenosis with degenerative disc disease, and left inguinal hernia. The appeal is dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's umbilical hernia and left inguinal hernia scar need to be reassessed.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU).
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.