The Veteran's claim for retroactive additional dependent compensation for her children, T. L. and D. L., is denied as she did not formally request them until November 2014, which was after they were no longer eligible to be added as dependents. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for dry eye syndrome is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to provide necessary documentation for T. L. and D. L. as dependent children before they were no longer eligible, thus her request was denied.
- Claimed conditions
- Dry Eye Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003676
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,548 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20003676.
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 has granted an earlier effective date of December 12, 2017 for the award of service connection for dry eye syndrome. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for dry eye syndrome is remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran is found to be eligible for enrollment in the PCAFC program due to his severe and complex medical conditions, which require personal care services.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dry eye syndrome is manifested by symptoms comparable to a bilateral disorder of the lacrimal apparatus, and his claim for an initial evaluation of 20 percent has been granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied because he is not in need of such assistance due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that while the Veteran requires some help with daily activities, he does not meet the criteria for needing regular aid and attendance.
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