The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for his ventral hernia disability and associated left anterior abdominal scar, as well as his claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and clarifying which symptoms are attributable to service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found the current evidence inadequate for evaluating the Veteran's ventral hernia disability under applicable rating criteria due to inconsistencies in the examiner's report and the need to assess whether symptoms are attributed to service-connected or non-service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Ventral hernia, Left anterior abdominal scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 12, 2023
- Citation
- A23028154
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 A23028154.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a ventral hernia is denied. The extension beyond December 31, 2019, of a temporary total rating (TTR) based on hospitalization for PTSD is also denied. A rating in excess of 70% for PTSD from January 1, 2020 to November 6, 2025 is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for service connection of a ventral hernia, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including TBI, psychiatric disabilities, cervical and lumbar spine issues, knee strains, shoulder and wrist conditions, and a ventral hernia. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation and the current presence of related disabilities.
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