The Veteran's defective vision, secondary to a fracture of the frontal skull and bilateral orbit, is currently rated as 20 percent disabling prior to October 2, 2005 and 30 percent thereafter. The Board has granted an increased rating to 40 percent for the period prior to October 2, 2005 and 50 percent thereafter.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's defective vision is manifested by bilateral concentric contraction of visual field to 60 degrees but not to 45 degrees, constant diplopia in two individual and separate areas of the same eye, and equivalent visual acuity of 10/200 in one eye and 20/70 in the other. The most severe impairment was demonstrated upon VA examination in October 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- Defective vision
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 31, 2017
- Citation
- 1710328
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 1710328.
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.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's defective vision, diagnosed as age-related macular degeneration, is not related to his service or any service-connected conditions. Therefore, service connection for defective vision is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's SMC at the housebound rate should be restored due to a lack of proper coding in his previous rating decision. However, the claim is being remanded for further development as it also involves defective vision and whether the Veteran is substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for defective vision has been reopened, and service connection is granted.,Service connection is granted for a depressive disorder secondary to diabetes mellitus, and nephropathy proximately due to diabetes mellitus. Service connection for a dental disability for compensation purposes is denied.,Issues related to sleep apnea, bilateral eye disabilities, and TDIU are remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The skull fracture was rated as 10% from August 21, 2014 and the maxilla fracture did not meet criteria for a compensable rating.
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