The Board has decided to remand both issues on appeal due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's dry eye syndrome is currently diagnosed, and there is a possibility that it may be related to service exposure. His skin disability (claimed as dry skin around the eyes) also appears to have been diagnosed, with his spouse indicating signs of eczema upon his return from service.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for both disabilities without further examination and consideration of new medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- dry eye syndrome, eczema
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19187447
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left eye conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and remanded the issue of service connection for an eye disability other than left eye conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma, to include dry eye syndrome and pinguecula.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for a mental health condition and denied service connection for an eye condition. The claims for autoimmune limbic encephalitis with non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (NPLE) with GAD65 antibodies and dystonia and dystonic tremor were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for eczema, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's eczema is related to herbicide agent exposure in service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection and higher ratings, requesting to submit supplemental claims instead.
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