The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her ventral hernia was denied, and the effective date of her 20% disability rating was set at June 15, 2018.,The Board has determined that the issue of whether to grant a TDIU is now part of this appeal.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating and effective date were denied due to lack of communication between August 2016 and June 15, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Ventral Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19191424
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,990 · Granted: 35% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19191424.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has restored service connection for ventral hernia and hernia repair scar, effective from September 1, 2020 to May 20, 2024.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a higher rating for ventral hernia has been withdrawn and dismissed. The appeals for service connection of heart condition, including atrial fibrillation (AFIB) and aortic regurgitation, and high blood pressure have been remanded.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's ventral hernia is service-connected as it likely began during basic training and was not caused by any in-service injury, event, or illness.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent initial rating for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical strain and a compensable rating for ventral hernia, and denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.