The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye condition and SMC based on need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to lack of new and material evidence, and because his need for assistance is not related to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The additional evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for an eye condition. The Veteran's need for aid and attendance was found to be due to nonservice-connected blindness, which precludes entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate.
- Claimed conditions
- eye disorder, blindness
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2015
- Citation
- 1552815
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1552815.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blood cancer, leukemia, eye disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome, and thrombocytopenia due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service. The case is remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for contact dermatitis, multiple sclerosis, and eye disorder due to lack of current diagnoses. The claims are remanded as there were pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the original decision.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation, as they do not qualify for permanent and total disability due to loss of use of extremities or anatomical regions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an eye disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of all four extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.
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