The veteran was granted service connection for bilateral cataracts as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The veteran was also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from February 10, 2022. All other issues were denied or remanded.

The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise with regards to establishing a secondary nexus between the Veteran's claimed eye disability and his diabetes mellitus.

Claimed conditions

bilateral cataracts, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left femoral nerve, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right femoral nerve, diabetes mellitus with hypertension, insomnia with depressive mood, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic nerve, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (RLE) sciatic nerve, left side stoop posture, right side stoop posture

How they argued it

Secondary to another service-connected condition

Exposure basis

Agent Orange / herbicides

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

January 8, 2025

Citation

A25001902

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine