The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for retinitis pigmentosa. The Board also finds that the current diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa first manifested during service, thus granting service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that retinitis pigmentosa clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service, but this conclusion was based on genetic factors alone without specific evidence of pre-service symptoms. The earliest documented manifestation of the disease is from October 1963, nearly two years after entry into service.
- Claimed conditions
- retinitis pigmentosa
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2015
- Citation
- 1513084
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 1513084.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the motion to revise a 1968 rating decision denying service connection for retinitis pigmentosa due to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa, finding no evidence of a nexus to active service.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 3, 2001, for service connection for retinitis pigmentosa based on the re-evaluation of previously unassociated service treatment records.
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