C&P Exam for Hernia, including femoral, inguinal, umbilical, ventral, incisional, and other (DC 7338)

Diagnostic code: 7338Condition: Hernia, including femoral, inguinal, umbilical, ventral, incisional, and other (but not including hiatal)Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.114DBQ: DBQ GI Hernias Including Abdominal Inguinal and Femoral Hernias

Which form the examiner uses

For hernia, including femoral, inguinal, umbilical, ventral, incisional, and other (DC 7338), the C&P examiner completes the following Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ):

DBQs are Department of Veterans Affairs Form 21-0960 series documents. Public DBQs are hosted on benefits.va.gov. A handful are examiner-only and are not posted publicly.

What the examiner records

The fields below are reproduced from the DBQ form the examiner completes for this diagnostic code. This is the structural map of the form, showing what the examiner is asked to measure, observe, and record. It is a factual reproduction of the public DBQ, not advice on how to answer.

This DBQ evaluates hernias including femoral, inguinal, umbilical, ventral, and incisional hernias.

DIAGNOSIS (Section I)
  • 1A. List the claimed condition(s) that pertain to this questionnaire:
  • 1B. Select diagnoses associated with the claimed condition(s) (check all that apply): Femoral hernia — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Incisional hernia — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Inguinal hernia — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Umbilical hernia — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Ventral hernia — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Other diagnosis #1 — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Other diagnosis #2 — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Other diagnosis #3 — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1C. If there are additional diagnoses that pertain to hernias, list using above format:
MEDICAL HISTORY (Section II)
  • 2A. Describe the history, including onset and course, of the Veteran's hernia condition(s). Brief summary:
  • 2B. Does the Veteran's treatment plan include taking daily prescribed medication for the diagnosed condition(s)?
  • If yes, list only those medications used for the diagnosed condition(s):
FEMORAL HERNIA (Section III)
  • 3A. Was surgery performed?
  • Date(s) of surgery:
  • Type(s) of surgery:
  • Indicate side: Right / Left / Both
  • 3B. Is a current/recurrent hernia present upon examination or been documented?
  • Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as present:
  • Indicate side: Right / Left / Both
  • Is the hernia repairable or irreparable? Repairable: Right / Left / Both
  • Is the hernia repairable or irreparable? Irreparable: Right / Left / Both
  • 3C. Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as irreparable: Right / Left
  • Explanation of why hernia was determined to be irreparable: Right / Left
  • 3D. Indicate size of irreparable hernia: Size equal to 15 cm or greater in one dimension: Right / Left / Both
  • 3D. Size equal to 3 cm or greater but less than 15 cm in one dimension: Right / Left / Both
  • 3D. Size smaller than 3 cm: Right / Left / Both
  • Date size of hernia was documented and the source: Right / Left
  • If there has been any clinically significant change in the size of the irreparable hernia, provide the side, size, the date the size was documented, and the source:
  • 3E. Indicate if the Veteran has pain when performing any of the following due to an irreparable hernia: Activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, hygiene, and/or transfers): Right / Left / Both
  • 3E. Bending over: Right / Left / Both
  • 3E. Climbing stairs: Right / Left / Both
  • 3E. Walking: Right / Left / Both
  • Has the pain been present for 12 months or more? Right: Yes / No
  • Has the pain been present for 12 months or more? Left: Yes / No
  • 3F. Comments (if any):
INGUINAL HERNIA (Section IV)
  • 4A. Was surgery performed?
  • Date(s) of surgery:
  • Type(s) of surgery:
  • Indicate side: Right / Left / Both
  • 4B. Is a current/recurrent hernia present upon examination or been documented?
  • Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as present:
  • Indicate side: Right / Left / Both
  • Is the hernia repairable or irreparable? Repairable: Right / Left / Both
  • Is the hernia repairable or irreparable? Irreparable: Right / Left / Both
  • 4C. Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as irreparable: Right / Left
  • Explanation of why hernia was determined to be irreparable: Right / Left
  • 4D. Indicate size of irreparable hernia: Size equal to 15 cm or greater in one dimension: Right / Left / Both
  • 4D. Size equal to 3 cm or greater but less than 15 cm in one dimension: Right / Left / Both
  • 4D. Size smaller than 3 cm: Right / Left / Both
  • Date size of hernia was documented and the source: Right / Left
  • If there has been any clinically significant change in the size of the irreparable hernia, provide the side, size, the date the size was documented, and the source:
  • 4E. Indicate if the Veteran has pain when performing any of the following due to an irreparable hernia: Activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, hygiene, and/or transfers): Right / Left / Both
  • 4E. Bending over: Right / Left / Both
  • 4E. Climbing stairs: Right / Left / Both
  • 4E. Walking: Right / Left / Both
  • Has the pain been present for 12 months or more? Right: Yes / No
  • Has the pain been present for 12 months or more? Left: Yes / No
  • 4F. Comments (if any):
UMBILICAL, VENTRAL, INCISIONAL, AND OTHER HERNIAS (Section V)
  • 5A. Was surgery performed?
  • Type of hernia:
  • Date(s) of surgery:
  • Type(s) of surgery:
  • 5B. Is a current/recurrent hernia present upon examination or been documented?
  • Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as present:
  • Is the hernia repairable or irreparable?
  • 5C. Provide date and source a medical professional documented the hernia as irreparable:
  • Explanation of why hernia was determined to be irreparable:
  • 5D. Indicate size of irreparable hernia: Size equal to 15 cm or greater in one dimension
  • 5D. Size equal to 3 cm or greater but less than 15 cm in one dimension
  • 5D. Size smaller than 3 cm
  • Date size of hernia was documented and the source:
  • If there has been any clinically significant change in the size of the irreparable hernia, provide the size, the date the size was documented, and the source:
  • 5E. Indicate if the Veteran has pain when performing any of the following due to an irreparable hernia: Activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, hygiene, and/or transfers)
  • 5E. Bending over
  • 5E. Climbing stairs
  • 5E. Walking
  • Has the pain been present for 12 months or more?
  • 5F. Comments (if any):
  • 5G. If there are additional hernias, indicate using the format from 5A through 5E:
OTHER PERTINENT PHYSICAL FINDINGS, COMPLICATIONS, CONDITIONS, SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND SCARS (Section VI)
  • 6A. Does the Veteran have any other pertinent physical findings, complications, conditions, signs, or symptoms related to any conditions listed in the diagnosis section above?
  • If yes, describe (brief summary):
  • 6B. Does the Veteran have any scars or other disfigurement (of the skin) related to any conditions or to the treatment of any conditions listed in the diagnosis section?
DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (Section VII)
  • 7A. Has the Veteran had clinically relevant diagnostic testing performed in conjunction with this examination?
  • If yes, provide test or procedure date and results (brief summary):
  • 7B. Are there any other clinically relevant diagnostic test findings or results related to the claimed condition(s) and/or diagnosis(es) that were reviewed in conjunction with this examination?
  • If yes, provide test or procedure date and results (brief summary):
  • 7C. If any test results are other than normal, indicate relationship of abnormal findings to diagnosed conditions:
FUNCTIONAL IMPACT (Section VIII)
  • 8A. Regardless of the Veteran's current employment status, do the conditions listed in the diagnosis section impact his/her ability to perform any type of occupational task (such as standing, walking, lifting, sitting, etc.)?
  • If yes, describe the functional impact of each condition, providing one or more examples:
REMARKS (Section IX)
  • 9A. Remarks (if any - please identify the section to which the remark pertains when appropriate).

Rating Levels for DC 7338

The following tiers are reproduced from 38 CFR Part 4, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Toggle between the official VA criteria and a Plain English explanation.

Plain-English summaries are AI-generated to explain the official criteria. The official 38 CFR language is the binding legal standard. When in doubt, ask a VSO.

Evidence cited in published BVA decisions for DC 7338

The counts below are aggregated from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Each row reports how often a given evidence type was discussed in the decision text, broken down by outcome. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not a prediction or recommendation about any specific claim.

  • VA examination: appeared in 25 granted decisions (18 denied, 22 remanded; 65 total)
  • Private medical opinion: appeared in 13 granted decisions (1 denied, 3 remanded; 17 total)
  • Medical literature: appeared in 6 granted decisions (3 denied, 1 remanded; 10 total)
  • Buddy / lay statements: appeared in 3 granted decisions (1 denied, 4 remanded; 8 total)
  • Service treatment records: appeared in 0 granted decisions (2 denied, 6 remanded; 8 total)
  • Nexus letter: appeared in 0 granted decisions (0 denied, 1 remanded; 1 total)

What the Board discussed in granted decisions for DC 7338

The themes below were extracted by clustering 500 grant-factor sentences from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Frequencies indicate how often each theme appeared in the sample. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not advice or strategy for any specific claim.

  1. 29% Benefit of the doubt doctrine cited as legal standard
    The Board cited the statutory and regulatory benefit of the doubt standard, noting that when positive and negative evidence is in approximate balance the claimant prevails.
    147 of 500 sample sentences
  2. 18% Evidence found in equipoise, benefit of the doubt applied
    The Board found the evidence at least in relative equipoise on a specific issue and resolved doubt in the Veteran's favor to grant the claim or a higher rating.
    89 of 500 sample sentences
  3. 17% Benefit of the doubt inapplicable, evidence persuasively against claim
    The Board determined that the preponderance of evidence weighed persuasively against the claim, rendering the benefit of the doubt doctrine inapplicable and requiring denial.
    87 of 500 sample sentences
  4. 16% Medical nexus opinion noted as at least as likely as not
    An examiner or physician provided a positive nexus opinion stating that a disability was at least as likely as not incurred in, caused by, or related to military service.
    82 of 500 sample sentences
  5. 6% Hernia disability nexus or in-service incurrence established
    The Board found evidence supporting a direct or secondary nexus between a hernia disability (inguinal, umbilical, ventral, or incisional) and active military service or a service-connected condition.
    28 of 500 sample sentences
  6. 5% Higher disability rating found warranted based on evidence
    The Board found that the lay and medical evidence of record supported granting a specific increased disability rating percentage for a service-connected condition.
    27 of 500 sample sentences
  7. 4% Service connection granted based on equipoise or favorable evidence
    The Board concluded that service connection for a claimed disability was warranted because the evidence supported or was in relative equipoise regarding service origin or nexus.
    20 of 500 sample sentences
  8. 3% Examiner question framed around at-least-as-likely-as-not standard
    The Board or remand order directed an examiner to opine whether a disability was at least as likely as not related to service, framing the evidentiary threshold for the opinion.
    15 of 500 sample sentences
  9. 1% Heightened duty noted when service records missing or destroyed
    The Board noted that when military service treatment records are lost or destroyed, VA has a heightened duty to explain findings and carefully consider the benefit of the doubt rule.
    3 of 500 sample sentences
  10. 0% Benefit of the doubt applied to secondary or aggravation service connection
    The Board resolved doubt in the Veteran's favor to find that a disability was proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected condition.
    2 of 500 sample sentences
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Disclaimer: This page reproduces public Department of Veterans Affairs forms (DBQs) and verbatim text from 38 CFR Part 4 (the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities). It is informational only and is not legal or medical advice. For guidance on a specific claim, contact a VA-accredited representative.