The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for right eye trauma with retained intraocular foreign body, surgical aphakia, and exotropia was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on visual impairment or incapacitating episodes. For tinnitus, service connection was denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking the condition to his service-connected right eye disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for increased compensation for his right eye disability and service connection for tinnitus were both denied due to lack of competent medical evidence supporting a link between these conditions and his service or service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- right eye trauma with retained intraocular foreign body, surgical aphakia, exotropia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19191653
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19191653.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including knee and back pain, exotropia, GERD, and hemorrhoids, due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for astigmatism and exotropia to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his diagnosed eye conditions.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 30 percent for his right-eye impairment to include blindness, exotropia, optic nerve pallor, cataract, presbyopia, retinal and macular scarring from October 22, 2008 is dismissed as moot because he is already in receipt of the 30 percent rating he sought.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left eye condition, which includes blindness, exotropia, optic atrophy, and retinal detachment. The decision finds that these conditions are related to his in-service injury while playing basketball.
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