The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left eye cataract is related to his service-connected left eye retinal tear and lattice retinal degeneration, or if it was caused by such condition. The examiner must provide a rationale for their opinion based on the onset and progression of symptoms in the left eye.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the VA examination report did not adequately consider the onset and course of symptoms in the Veteran's left eye cataract, which is necessary to determine its relationship with his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left eye cataract
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20067033
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 service connection for residuals of left eye post-retinal detachment, to include left eye retinal scarring, left eye maculopathy, and left eye cataract.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left eye cataract, heart disability, hypertension, bilateral peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, and bilateral hand disability (neuropathy and/or carpal tunnel syndrome), due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities, as well as left eye cataract and diabetic retinopathy, finding no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury or disease.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic kidney disease and myasthenia gravis with double vision, reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for malaria, and denied service connection for other conditions.
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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.