The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his left knee, left ankle, and right shoulder disabilities. Additionally, a medical opinion is needed regarding the impact of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to obtain and maintain employment.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather about increased ratings and separate ratings for specific conditions. The appeal requires further examination and an assessment of the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Eye Disability, Left Eye Scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19184069
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 service connection for vertigo, obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, and left eye disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, TBI, hypertension, lacerations of the head and mouth, blisters on the left foot, left eye disability, left knee disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The decision also noted that the Appellant's discharge was under other than honorable conditions due to a felony conviction.
- Granted
The Veteran's headaches are granted an increased rating to 10 percent. The claim for a higher rating of schizophrenia is denied. The right wrist disability remains at 10 percent. Service connection for diabetes mellitus (right foot blisters) and left foot blisters, as well as the left leg and eye disabilities, are not established.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is granted. The claim for right knee disability is denied. The claim for left eye disability, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, is remanded.
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