The Board has determined that the Veteran's left inguinal hernia was not incurred or aggravated in active service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current fibromyalgia and thoracic strain with degenerative changes, as well as insufficient evidence to establish arthritis due to thoracic strain.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's left inguinal hernia is less likely than not incurred in or caused by service. The examiner noted no documentation of groin pain or bulge during service and no specific diagnosis of a hernia until after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- left inguinal hernia, traumatic arthritis (to include as secondary to service-connected thoracic strain with degenerative changes), fibromyalgia (to include as secondary to service-connected thoracic strain with degenerative changes)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2015
- Citation
- 1550386
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 1550386.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hallux valgus with degenerative joint disease, bilateral shin splints (tingling of the bilateral lower extremities), tinea versicolor, migraines, and left shoulder disability are all found to have onset during his period of service from July 1996 to July 2008. As a result, these conditions are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left inguinal hernia is not considered due to lack of current diagnosis or functional impairment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate for rating both the hernia and scar conditions, and thus remands these issues to obtain a new examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's left inguinal hernia scars are currently rated at a noncompensable level, but the Board has granted a 20 percent rating for painful scars under Diagnostic Code 7804. The decision also notes that there is no evidence of instability or additional pain contributing to an even higher rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's left inguinal hernia is not rated compensable due to lack of functional impairment equivalent to postoperative hernia recurrent, readily reducible, and well supported by truss or belt.,The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis is rated 10 percent as it covers less than five percent of the total body area.
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