The veteran claims service connection for bilateral diplopia, which he alleges was caused by an injury sustained during a live-fire exercise in November 1954. The RO has been unable to obtain his complete service records due to the destruction of records at the NPRC in 1973. A VA ophthalmology clinic assessment supports the veteran's claim but does not indicate whether it was based on the claims file or solely on the veteran's history.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine if the veteran's current eye disability is related to service, including his reported injury in November 1954.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral diplopia, hypertropia, strabismus, exotropia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2008
- Citation
- 0821457
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 0821457.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right eye disability, including right superior oblique palsy and strabismus, finding that it is related to an in-service head trauma.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right eye condition has been denied as he failed to appear for the scheduled VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left eye disorder, including amblyopia and other conditions, as there was no evidence of aggravation beyond their natural progression during the Veteran's periods of active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including knee and back pain, exotropia, GERD, and hemorrhoids, due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.
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