The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral eye condition, specifically retinal tear with retinal detachment in the right eye, is being remanded due to missing service treatment records. He needs to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the Veteran's claim and the need for additional evidence (VA examination) as his service treatment records are missing, creating doubt about the nature of any eye condition he may have experienced during service.
- Claimed conditions
- retinal tear with retinal detachment, right eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19126826
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right eye disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim. The evidence considered did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of the claims.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.