Service connection for residuals of a right eye herpes simplex infection is granted. The appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for right eye corneal scarring is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's corneal problems began during service and are likely caused by a herpes infection, which was not diagnosed until after service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of right eye herpes simplex infection, corneal scarring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19107514
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19107514.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically the lack of a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's eye disabilities are related to service. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA opinion on this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's left eye disability, including corneal scarring and a previous corneal abrasion with lensectomy, is being remanded for further evaluation due to a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied readjudication of the claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition because no new and relevant evidence was submitted to reopen the claim, despite the submission of additional post-service clinical records and lay statements.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's service connection for bilateral eye disabilities has been established, making the claim of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 moot.
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