The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his residuals of postoperative right inguinal hernia, finding that the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804 (unstable or painful scars).
The deciding factor: The VA medical examinations and treatment records showed recurrent pain at the site of the surgery but no recurrence of the postoperative right inguinal hernia, which is required for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7804.
- Claimed conditions
- postoperative right inguinal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2009
- Citation
- 0948203
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 0948203.
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: Partly granted
The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis with postoperative meniscal tear was granted an increased rating from 10 percent to 40 percent, but no higher, effective May 18, 2016. Other claims were denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of hearing loss due to incomplete rationale in the September 2018 VA examiner's opinion, lack of relevant VA treatment records from December 2018 to present, and discrepancies between different speech discrimination tests used.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral inguinal hernia has been rated at 40 percent since August 11, 2010. The Board finds that the evidence supports this rating as there is no indication of a large hernia and the condition remains small and recurrent.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board finds that the service-connected postoperative right inguinal hernia contributed substantially and materially to the Veteran's death, and grants service connection for the cause of death.
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