The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current eye conditions and his service-connected bilateral conjunctivitis, as well as potential Camp Lejeune exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address the presumed toxin exposures from Camp Lejeune or use the correct legal standard of 'at least as likely as not' for the opinions provided.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral conjunctivitis, bilateral nuclear cataracts, senile ectropion of the bilateral lower eyelids, blepharitis, bilateral nuclear sclerosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2022
- Citation
- 22009840
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 22009840.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are remanded due to the need for further development of his medical records. The Board will consider all submitted evidence, including private treatment records, during its review.
- Denied
The Veteran's worsening vision in his right eye after a VA surgery was not due to negligence or unforeseeable events, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and bilateral eye disability due to a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the April 2025 rating decision. The VA is required to obtain additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's conditions are related to his toxic exposure through TERA.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pulmonary embolism and an eye disability, including chronic open angle glaucoma, nodular scleritis, blepharitis, and dry eye syndrome. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during service or are related to in-service events.
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