The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for retinal tears and type II diabetes (DMII) due to incomplete development of records, including a lack of complete military personnel records and service treatment records. The Veteran was exposed to potential radiation during his service in Korea.
The deciding factor: Incomplete development of the Veteran's service records prevented the Board from determining if he was near or on the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange could be considered.
- Claimed conditions
- retinal tears, type II diabetes (DMII)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20057345
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20057345.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been denied as the new evidence received does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut the presumption of soundness for pre-existing disorders.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board found that the veteran's substantive appeal for service connection for a low back disorder was untimely, but granted an increased rating for his retinal tears and remanded the initial rating issue to the RO.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for blepharitis and to reopen his claim of service connection for retinal tears. The denial was based on a lack of evidence linking the disabilities to service.
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