The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current eye disorder or kidney disability that is proximately due to, caused by, or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The currently demonstrated heart disability is found to be at least as likely as not due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' findings and opinions indicate no direct link between the Veteran's current eye disorders and kidney disabilities with his service-connected diabetes mellitus, nor does there appear to be any aggravation of these conditions by the diabetes. The heart disability is found to be at least as likely as not due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Eye Disorder (Retinopathy), Decreased Visual Acuity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2009
- Citation
- 0943992
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 0943992.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, decreased visual acuity, and a right knee disorder. The claim for increased rating of asbestosis was also denied.
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The Board found that the veteran's decreased visual acuity existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The slight increase in severity during service is attributed to the natural progression of macular degeneration.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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