The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral retinitis pigmentosa clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and was not aggravated by military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran had defective vision prior to service and that his condition did not worsen beyond its natural progression during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral retinitis pigmentosa
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 10, 2015
- Citation
- 1547472
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 1547472.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of service connection for bilateral retinitis pigmentosa but denied the claim based on a lack of evidence linking the condition to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral retinitis pigmentosa began in and is related to his active-duty service, granting the claim for service connection.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral retinitis pigmentosa first manifested during active service and is therefore granted service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral retinitis pigmentosa and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran had a current disability, established continuity of symptoms since service, and provided sufficient medical evidence to establish a relationship between his in-service stressor and his current conditions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.