The Board found no evidence to support the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral defective vision and headaches. The appellant had pre-existing conditions that existed prior to his entry into military service, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a superimposed injury or disease during service that resulted in increased disability for the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral defective vision
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2002
- Citation
- 0218409
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 0218409.
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 denied an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for bilateral defective vision and denied entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance. The veteran's service-connected bilateral eye disorder is rated at 70 percent under Diagnostic Code 6069, effective from June 22, 1990.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral defective hearing. The issue of service connection for bilateral defective vision remains unresolved as the veteran's claim is not well-grounded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the motion for revision or reversal of the October 1997 decision on grounds of clear and unmistakable error, finding that the moving party's allegations were insufficient to meet the pleading requirements.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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