The Board found that the veteran's blindness of the right eye was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill. The additional disability resulted from the veteran's own non-compliance with medical instructions and follow-up appointments.
The deciding factor: The veteran's blindness is attributed to a known possible complication (retinal detachment) of cataract surgery, which occurred despite VA efforts to ensure compliance.
- Claimed conditions
- Blindness of the right eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2008
- Citation
- 0805190
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 0805190.
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 service connection for right ear hearing loss, residuals of a head tumor (pituitary adenoma), memory loss secondary to residuals of a head tumor, blindness of the right eye secondary to residuals of a head tumor, and headaches. The decision is based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's timely notice of disagreement with the July 2010 rating decision has been acknowledged, and his claims for service connection are now considered.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding his service-connected disabilities.
- 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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