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 assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159982
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 19159982.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for migraines was granted, effective July 1, 2022. The claims for service connection for various conditions were either denied or remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for digestive condition and sinusitis, but granted service connection for vitiligo of the penis and lipomas. The initial ratings for various disabilities were also denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to tinnitus and denied the claims for service connection for TBI, sinusitis, higher ratings for left CTS, left inguinal hernia, and a scar associated with left inguinal hernia. The decision also remanded several other conditions for further development.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.