The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development, specifically regarding whether a four-day delay in obtaining surgery was a factor in the Veteran losing his eyesight and whether VA failed to timely diagnose and treat his retinal detachment.
The deciding factor: More development is necessary to determine if the four-day delay in obtaining surgery caused the Veteran's loss of vision and if VA failed to properly diagnose and treat his post-cataract surgery retinal detachment.
- Claimed conditions
- Right eye blindness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20060669
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 20060669.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 80 percent for bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma, severe stage, unspecified pterygium, and right eye blindness, and a 60 percent rating for GERD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for right eye blindness, service connection for right eye blindness prior to January 13, 2014, and an effective date prior to January 13, 2014 for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use. The claims will be remanded for further review.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right eye blindness was caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill on the part of the surgical resident during cataract surgery at a VA facility. The event was not reasonably foreseeable.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's right eye blindness and whether it was caused by VA carelessness, negligence or similar instance of fault. The case will be remanded for further action.
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