The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for ocular histoplasmosis. The Board concludes that the veteran likely had ocular histoplasmosis during his military service, which is considered a disease incurred in service.
The deciding factor: The independent medical expert concluded it was possible that the veteran acquired ocular histoplasmosis during service but could not date its onset without prior dilated fundus examination records from before he entered the military.
- Claimed conditions
- ocular histoplasmosis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2006
- Citation
- 0602617
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0602617.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 has decided to remand the case due to missing treatment records and an incomplete statement of reasons or bases. The Veteran's vision impairment, including loss of visual acuity and visual field loss, is being evaluated for its relationship to ocular histoplasmosis.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral ocular histoplasmosis originated during active service and is therefore granted service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral ocular histoplasmosis, finding that there is a reasonable possibility that the condition was caused by an in-service respiratory infection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for ocular histoplasmosis and a lung condition, now claimed as a residual of histoplosis. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of these conditions.
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