The Board denied service connection for a right eye disorder claimed as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left eye cataract extraction. The Veteran's current right eye condition is not found to be caused or aggravated by his left eye disability, and he does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were clear that the Veteran’s right eye disorder was not related to his service-connected left eye cataract extraction. The Veteran's statements regarding causation are not competent as they do not address medical matters beyond their personal experience.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Right Eye Disorder","claimed_condition":"Secondary to service-connected status post cataract extraction of the left eye"}, {"condition_name":"Left Eye Cataract Extraction","claimed_condition":null}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103690
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
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