The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for an effective date earlier than August 13, 2005 for bilateral cataracts is granted, with December 1, 1970 as the earliest date of claim.
The deciding factor: The evidence established that the appellant had bilateral cataracts while on active duty and these conditions did not resolve or disappear within two years after discharge. The VHA opinion confirmed the presence of bilateral cataracts in both eyes during service, which progressed to require surgery in the late 1970s.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 12, 2011
- Citation
- 1133890
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1133890.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Granted
The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings for his service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and remanded claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension, headaches, bilateral cataracts, and left hand osteoarthritis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.
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