The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome is remanded due to the failure to provide a VA examination in light of good cause shown.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran provided sufficient good cause for failing to attend his scheduled VA examination, and thus a new examination should be scheduled.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral dry eye syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 8, 2020
- Citation
- A20018179
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for eye conditions, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and left eye retinopathy. However, it denied increased ratings for multiple peripheral neuropathies, hypertension, and status post tympanoplasty.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent initial rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome and service connection for left knee strain, but denied other claims including increased ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, incomplete right bundle branch block (claimed as cardiac arrhythmia), degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with IVDS, scarring of the left inguinal area, status post varicocele surgery, and service connection for left shoulder strain and restless leg syndrome.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for all the conditions listed as there was no evidence of an in-service event, nor is there evidence demonstrating a nexus to service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and denied increased ratings for several service-connected disabilities, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or aggravation related to service.
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