The Board has granted service connection for retinal detachment and denied an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral calcaneal spurs. The veteran's right eye was diagnosed with a detached retina six days after his retirement from active service, linked to a weight lifting injury during the last week of his service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner and credible lay evidence related the retinal detachment to a weight lifting injury in the last week of the veteran's active service.
- Claimed conditions
- retinal detachment, bilateral calcaneal spurs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2000
- Citation
- 0029724
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 0029724.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 a higher rating for her bilateral foot disabilities was denied, with the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent being assigned. The claim for increased rating of her left ankle achilles tendonitis disability was also denied.,The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the left ankle achilles tendonitis due to moderate limited motion (less than 15 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees plantar flexion). The Veteran's knee disorder secondary to her service-connected foot disabilities was also remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for bilateral calcaneal spurs are denied. The Board finds that the earliest possible effective date has already been assigned, as the Veteran's claim was received on February 11, 2011.
- Denied
The appeal for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for open angle glaucoma, retinal detachment, and cataract (eye disability) was denied as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused by VA's carelessness or negligence.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance and an earlier effective date for service connection of schizoaffective disorder.
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