The Board found that the veteran's right eye impairment and vision loss were not caused by negligence or fault on the part of VA in furnishing surgical treatment, and thus denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence established that the right eye impairment to include vision loss was due to corneal scarring as a result of herpes simplex viral metaherpetic disease, not the March 1997 cataract surgery performed by VA.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Eye Impairment, Vision Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0212480
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0212480.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral eye disability, including vision loss and cataracts, did not have its onset during active-duty service and is not otherwise etiologically related to his service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, vision loss and light sensitivity, and bilateral hearing loss are related to service. However, due to a lack of examination for these conditions, the case is being remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD from March 12, 2010, is denied. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for vision loss due to insufficient evidence.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II (due to herbicide exposure), tinnitus, heart disability, hypertension, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, psychiatric disorder, vision loss, and erectile dysfunction. The appeal is granted only in relation to the reopening of the claim for diabetes mellitus type II.
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