The Board denied service connection for right inguinal hernia as secondary to a service-connected left inguinal hernia, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between the two conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions found no pathophysiological association between the left and right inguinal hernias, and the Board gave more weight to these opinions over the Veteran's lay opinion regarding causation.
- Claimed conditions
- right inguinal hernia, left inguinal hernia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159982
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19159982.
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 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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disability, right inguinal hernia, hiatal hernia, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims are being remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
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