The Veteran's claim for service connection for his bilateral eye disability, including macular degeneration, epi-retinal membrane, and glaucoma, is remanded due to the missing STRs from his active duty in Vietnam. The Board will request an opinion on the etiology of the Veteran’s current eye condition considering the complex nature of the issue.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather a need for additional evidence and clarification regarding the Veteran's missing service treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral eye disability, macular degeneration, epi-retinal membrane, glaucoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20065389
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.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, except for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability which were granted. The veteran was also granted service connection for hypertension.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for glaucoma and macular degeneration, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a bilateral eye disability, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Partly granted
The Board granted reconsideration of the issues of entitlement to service connection for basal cell carcinoma, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The claims for these conditions were previously denied but are now being readjudicated due to new evidence.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.