The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 because the evidence did not show that her left eye blindness was caused by VA care, and instead concluded it was due to her own non-compliance with medical instructions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's left eye blindness was likely caused by her failure to follow proper medical instructions, rather than any fault on the part of VA.
- Claimed conditions
- left eye blindness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20081486
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the surgeries performed in April 2010 and their impact on his left eye disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Diabetes Mellitus (Type II) and left eye blindness due to potential direct service connection based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's medical conditions are not entitled to presumptive service connection, but may be related to his service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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