The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's postoperative right inguinal hernia, finding no recurrence of the hernia during the evaluation period and thus not meeting the criteria for a 10% rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence consistently showed no recurrence of a right inguinal hernia during the evaluation period, with no right inguinal hernia detected on examination and no prescription for a truss or belt for a current right inguinal hernia.
- Claimed conditions
- Right inguinal hernia, Left inguinal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20080902
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.
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The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, right inguinal hernia, non allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while granting service connection for left knee strain and left leg shin splints.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher initial rating for left inguinal hernia and an initial compensable rating for the scar of the left inguinal hernia, as there was no evidence of recurrent hernia or a painful, unstable, or large scar.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left inguinal herniorrhaphy scar but denied a compensable rating for the left inguinal hernia and a 10 percent evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to DDD with IVDS, erectile dysfunction as secondary to DDD with IVDS, and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ. The appeal was denied for service connection for depression and anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, hypothyroidism, left lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, right and left lower extremity peripheral edema, and inguinal hernias.
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