The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the legal requirements for an automobile allowance and/or adaptive equipment (to include a cellular phone) due to his multiple sclerosis, resulting in diplopia, weakness and sensory changes of the extremities, and bilateral cataracts. The disability does not result in permanent loss of use of one or both feet, hands, or hips, nor does it meet the legal requirements for central visual acuity with corrective glasses being 20/200 or less in the better eye.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the legal requirements for an automobile allowance and/or adaptive equipment (to include a cellular phone) due to his multiple sclerosis, resulting in diplopia, weakness and sensory changes of the extremities, and bilateral cataracts. The disability does not result in permanent loss of use of one or both feet, hands, or hips, nor does it meet the legal requirements for central visual acuity with corrective glasses being 20/200 or less in the better eye.
- Claimed conditions
- diplopia, weakness and sensory changes of the right upper extremity, sensory changes of the left lower extremity, sensory changes of the right lower extremity, residuals of a hemorrhoidectomy, bilateral cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2002
- Citation
- 0202945
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 0202945.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for eye conditions, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and left eye retinopathy. However, it denied increased ratings for multiple peripheral neuropathies, hypertension, and status post tympanoplasty.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 40 percent disability rating for bilateral eye disabilities but denied ratings for abdominal scars, hypertension, and remanded claims related to thrombosis and arthritis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral cataracts, dry eye syndrome, allergic conjunctivitis, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by an in-service event.
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