The Board has remanded the claim for an initial compensable rating prior to April 19, 2017, and a higher rating thereafter for left eye nerve damage with exotropia due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The claims file does not document incapacitating episodes within the meaning of applicable rating criteria, which are required for a higher schedule rating under Diagnostic Code 4.79.
- Claimed conditions
- left eye nerve damage, exotropia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20048777
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 20048777.
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 remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including knee and back pain, exotropia, GERD, and hemorrhoids, due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for astigmatism and exotropia to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his diagnosed eye conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 30 percent for his right-eye impairment to include blindness, exotropia, optic nerve pallor, cataract, presbyopia, retinal and macular scarring from October 22, 2008 is dismissed as moot because he is already in receipt of the 30 percent rating he sought.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left eye condition, which includes blindness, exotropia, optic atrophy, and retinal detachment. The decision finds that these conditions are related to his in-service injury while playing basketball.
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