The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral cataracts is denied as the evidence does not show that the disability began prior to April 10, 2012.,The claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a left rib injury and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeals are granted to this extent only.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral cataracts is fixed in accordance with the facts found, which do not support an earlier effective date than April 10, 2012, as the evidence does not show that the disability began prior to this date.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral cataracts, prostate cancer, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), gastrointestinal disorder, sleep apnea, residuals of left rib injury, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20063255
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 20063255.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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