The Veteran's claim for service connection for corneal degeneration in the left eye was denied. The claims for higher initial ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, chronic cervical spine strain, and left knee patellar tendonitis were granted with a 20% rating effective from December 14, 2014. The claim for service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy and PTSD was remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of corneal degeneration in the left eye. For the initial rating period on appeal, the left shoulder disability met the criteria for a 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5201. The cervical strain met the criteria for a 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5237. The left knee patellar tendonitis did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.
- Claimed conditions
- corneal degeneration in the left eye, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, chronic cervical spine strain, left knee patellar tendonitis, left upper extremity neuropathy, posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19131815
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19131815.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer but remanded the claim for PTSD due to insufficient verification of stressor incidents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes type II as secondary to a service-connected disability and an initial 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder, subject to the regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.
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