The Veteran's initial evaluation for anxiety disorder was denied, and the claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability is remanded. The decision on whether the Veteran's current eye conditions are related to his military service remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale for their conclusion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s eye condition, necessitating further investigation and opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Anxiety Disorder, Bilateral Eye Disability (including Conjunctivitis, Choroidal Mass of Right Eye)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20064815
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depression.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for migraines and remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include an anxiety disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, as there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence did not support a link between any diagnosed condition and her military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including MDD, anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder, cocaine use disorder, and opiate use disorder, but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.