The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for an eye disability is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim as the Veteran has been diagnosed with glaucoma and cataracts, which are related to Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for liver disease is denied. The Board finds no new and material evidence received since the December 2010 rating decision that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the underlying claim of entitlement to service connection for liver disease.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for skin problems and sexual problems are remanded as VA examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to active service, specifically Agent Orange exposure.
The deciding factor: For the eye disability, new evidence was submitted indicating that the Veteran has been diagnosed with glaucoma and cataracts, which is related to Agent Orange exposure. For liver disease, no new evidence received since the December 2010 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,For skin problems and sexual problems, VA examinations are needed as they may be related to active service, specifically Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- eye disability, liver disease, skin disorder, sexual problems, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18122763
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 18122763.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.