The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran's eye disability, specifically diabetic retinopathy associated with diabetes mellitus, to determine its nature, cause, onset and etiology. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the eye disability is related to service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient information in the current record to make a determination regarding the relationship between the Veteran's eye disability and service or service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic retinopathy, right eye blindness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19146247
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an effective date prior to April 11, 2013, for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy and grade 2+ anterior vacuoles due to a lack of evidence indicating an intent to apply for benefits or communication related to these conditions before that date.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetic retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, a heart disability, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, a colon disability, major depressive disorder, and diabetes mellitus, type 2. The claims for PTSD, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, type 2, and hypertension were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an eye tumor, right eye blindness, and sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in the November 2023 VA medical opinions.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during its pendency.
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