The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the painful right upper eyelid scar and denied service connection for various conditions, including macular degeneration, PTSD with alcohol/cocaine use disorders, and increased ratings for other disabilities.
The deciding factor: The March 2015 VA examiner's opinion that bilateral macular degeneration was not caused or aggravated by the service-connected injury to the eyelid or the scar led to its denial. For the increased rating claim, the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.
- Claimed conditions
- mefloquine (malaria), bilateral shoulder disability, back disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral macular degeneration secondary to right upper eyelid scar, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with alcohol/cocaine use disorders
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24000496
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for a bilateral knee disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, including scheduling an additional VA examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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