The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities caused him to stare at the sun, resulting in permanent damage to his eyes and current bilateral cataracts and maculopathy. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities (bipolar disorder and OCD) led to an acute psychotic state during which he damaged his eyes by staring at the sun, causing his current eye disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral cataracts, Maculopathy
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19182722
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 denied a rating greater than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, with bilateral cataracts and total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) as the evidence did not support an increase in the Veteran's ratings or entitlement to TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type 2 and peripheral neuropathy, to further investigate potential exposure to herbicides during the Veteran's service in Korea.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral cataracts and noncompensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and maxillary and frontal sinusitis, while granting a 30 percent rating for hiatal hernia.
- Denied
The Board denied a separate compensable disability rating for cataracts associated with diabetes mellitus and service connection for blepharitis, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disabilities.
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