The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral optic nerve atrophy was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish in-service incurrence of bilateral optic nerve atrophy or continuity of symptomatology after service, nor could it be presumed due to herbicide exposure. The VA examiner's opinion that the condition is not related to service was given more weight than the Veteran's and his representative's assertions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral optic nerve atrophy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 10, 2009
- Citation
- 0942925
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 0942925.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eye conditions, including diabetic retinopathy and other related conditions like bilateral end stage glaucoma, bilateral optic nerve atrophy, right nuclear cataract, and left pseudophakia, are being remanded for further evaluation due to a duty-to-assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's headaches are found to be prostrating and occurring on average at least once a month after September 14, 2021. The Board grants a 30 percent rating for his headaches starting from that date. Other issues related to the right eye corneal scarring, bilateral optic nerve atrophy, and knee/hip conditions are remanded.
- Denied
The Board found that the additional evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral optic nerve atrophy. Therefore, the claim was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the record is not sufficiently developed to make a decision on the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral optic nerve atrophy, including as due to herbicide exposure. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine the date of onset and etiology of the veteran's eye disability.
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