The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his low back strain and service connection for an inguinal hernia have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the low back strain, and there was no probative evidence linking the inguinal hernia to service or service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence is against finding a nexus between the Veteran's current inguinal hernia and his in-service complaints. The Board also found that the low back strain did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it was not manifested by forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain, Inguinal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2017
- Citation
- 1716474
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 1716474.
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 Veteran's hearing loss and low back strain claims are remanded for further evaluation. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the low back strain claim requires additional examination to determine its severity.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back strain, left shoulder, and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) based on evidence showing a causal relationship to in-service events or injuries.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed because the March 2020 rating decision, which granted service connection for a low back strain, was never issued and therefore not an appealable decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's inguinal hernia with status postrepair, residuals, and recurrence was rated at 60 percent since October 25, 2018. The Board denied an increased rating as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the new Diagnostic Code 7338.
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