The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy is now rated at 40% effective May 13, 2018.,Service connection for the Veteran’s diabetic retinopathy was granted prior to May 18, 2017.,The Veteran's low back disability remains at a 20% rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran experienced incapacitating episodes requiring treatment visits for his diabetic macular edema in the right eye, qualifying him for a 40% rating under the revised criteria as of May 13, 2018.,Service connection was granted prior to May 18, 2017, and the effective date is set based on when service connection was established.,The Veteran's low back disability has not met the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic retinopathy, low back disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20042544
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 20042544.
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 remanded the claims for asthma, hypertension with residuals including stroke, DM II, bilateral amputation of all toes, and diabetic neuropathy to obtain VA medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.,The Board also remanded the claim for ED as it is inextricably intertwined with the DM II claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that remand is needed for the Veteran's claims due to duty to assist errors, including clarification of periods of service and obtaining relevant records. The Veteran will be afforded new medical examinations for each claimed disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of right shoulder disability and low back disability due to insufficient evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was granted with an effective date of January 9, 2018. The Board accepted her November 21, 2019 VA Form 20-0996 as a valid opt-in of the April 2019 SOC into the modernized review system.
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