Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision 0216299
The deciding factor: The veteran's visual acuity is generally noted to be 20/20 or 20/30 bilaterally, with no significant impairment of visual fields as per the most recent VA examinations. The preponderance of evidence does not support a higher rating in excess of 50 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- sickle cell retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2002
- Citation
- 0216299
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 0216299.
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: Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for sickle cell retinopathy and an acquired psychiatric disorder were granted. The claims for left leg gout and right leg gout were denied. The issues of hypertension, prostate cancer, and bilateral pes planus were remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's additional left eye disability was caused by an ischemic event related to his sickle cell disease, and VA should have informed him of the risks involved in the March 2007 procedure. The Board grants compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's chalazion of the left eye was aggravated by his service-connected sickle cell retinopathy.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran's sickle cell retinopathy was rated based on visual acuity, with the highest rating of 50% granted from February 15, 2001 to April 20, 2005. Service connection for chalazion of the left eye was also denied.
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