The Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's right inguinal hernia and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) were related to his period of active service.
The deciding factor: Service connection for chronic diseases, including arthritis, requires a showing of continuity of symptoms after discharge. The first post-service evidence of low back disability is from approximately seven years after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Inguinal Hernia, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include PTSD), Compensable Disability Rating for Fracture of Right Pinky Finger
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2009
- Citation
- 0948726
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 0948726.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a personality disorder and remanded claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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).
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