WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your hernia (also called hernia, inguinal hernia, ventral hernia, umbilical hernia), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected hernia commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (hernia) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Scar tissue forming after abdominal or groin surgery is a recognized complication, and the rating schedule lists adhesions 'due to surgery, trauma, disease, or infection' as its own condition.
What you'd need: Operative report for the hernia repair, plus records of ongoing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, colic, constipation or diarrhea. Imaging or a surgeon's note describing adhesions helps but symptoms documented over time are what the criteria turn on.
A painful, recurring or irreparable hernia that limits lifting and activity is the kind of chronic physical limitation that commonly supports a secondary mental-health claim.
What you'd need: A mental-health diagnosis plus a nexus opinion tying the mood condition to the hernia's pain and limitations.