The Board denied service connection for diabetic retinopathy as it was not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's cataract in his left eye is rated as noncompensable due to its being secondary to age-related macular degeneration, which is a nonservice-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a finding of diabetic retinopathy and the Veteran’s visual impairment was attributed to age-related macular degeneration.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataract, Left Eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103176
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for diabetic retinopathy as there were no incapacitating episodes or visual impairment.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a higher rating for diabetes mellitus type II, a compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy, and an earlier effective date for the grant of a 40 percent rating for residuals of left thalamic stroke with neurogenic bladder. However, TDIU was granted.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and its associated complications.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's motion for revision of the August 2020 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) to restore a 70 percent rating for diabetic retinopathy, effective November 1, 2020. The Board also remanded service connection for glaucoma.
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