The Board has granted service connection for a left inguinal hernia, finding that the condition was not present prior to service and had its onset during active duty. The Veteran's previous denial of service connection is overturned due to new evidence showing an injury sustained in-service which led to the development of the hernia.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that a left inguinal hernia did not exist prior to service, as evidenced by the Veteran's report of lifting a heavy water container during basic training and subsequent diagnosis with the condition. The Board found this evidence sufficient to rebut the presumption of soundness at entry into service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Inguinal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18121867
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 18121867.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of May 1, 2018.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's ear infections are not service-connected, but a 10 percent rating is granted for the left inguinal hernia prior to August 14, 2019. From that date, no compensable rating is assigned.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral wrist disorder, and other service-connected conditions have been granted initial disability ratings. The TDIU claim for the period prior to February 23, 2018, has also been granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial ratings for his service-connected right and left inguinal hernias, lumbosacral strain with thoracic DDD, and migraines have been remanded due to the need for issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).
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