The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of the right eye is denied as there was no prior formal or informal claim for SMC before March 8, 2005. The effective date is set at the date entitlement arose, which is December 13, 2007.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for SMC prior to December 13, 2007, and therefore, an earlier effective date cannot be granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of vision in the right eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- July 22, 2015
- Citation
- 1531181
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 1531181.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right eye vision loss is being remanded for a VA medical opinion to address whether the proximate cause of his vision loss was reasonably foreseeable or due to carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in performing the procedures.
- Granted
The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for loss of vision in the right eye is granted, as evidence received since the March 2014 rating decision relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's loss of vision in the right eye is not related to his service, including exposure to radiation. The opinion from a VA examiner stated that it was less likely caused by his tour of duty and more likely due to a pituitary tumor.
- Denied
The Board has denied both claims of service connection for hypertension and loss of vision in the right eye, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected PTSD or service. The appeal is therefore denied.
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