The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's left inguinal hernia from March 8, 1976 to March 24, 2006, and an appropriate VA examination for his bilateral plantar calluses. The issues of TDIU are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the rating assigned for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous opinions were inadequate due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's symptomatology and requested new opinions from VA examiners.
- Claimed conditions
- left inguinal hernia, bilateral plantar calluses
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20005814
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,863 · Granted: 26% (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 20005814.
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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's left inguinal hernia is not rated compensable due to lack of functional impairment equivalent to postoperative hernia recurrent, readily reducible, and well supported by truss or belt.,The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis is rated 10 percent as it covers less than five percent of the total body area.
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.