The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in denying service connection for a ventral hernia disability. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with an opinion on whether his service-connected COPD is secondary to his ventral hernia, and if obesity may also play a role.
The deciding factor: The decision was based solely on the Board's failure to address the Veteran's contention that his ventral hernia disability is related to his service-connected COPD. The case will be remanded for an opinion addressing this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Ventral Hernia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2024
- Citation
- 24009150
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 24009150.
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The appeal for a higher rating for ventral hernia has been withdrawn and dismissed.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).
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