The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for refractive eye error, bilateral cataracts disorder, bilateral muscular epiretinal membrane disorder, and allergic conjunctivitis as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The VA is instructed to obtain private chiropractic records and provide a new addendum opinion addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing an adequate opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected diabetes mellitus and the claimed eye disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Refractive Eye Error, Bilateral Cataracts Disorder, Bilateral Muscular Epiretinal Membrane Disorder, Allergic Conjunctivitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22057141
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 22057141.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities, except for eczema and skin rash, are associated with his subsequent period of active duty after he received separation pay. Therefore, the appeal is granted as recoupment of the Veteran's separation pay in the amount of $13,271.16 is improper.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's allergic conjunctivitis. The matter is now being sent back for further development and readjudication.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral allergic conjunctivitis has been active within the appeal period, warranting a minimum rating of 10 percent under the Diagnostic Code.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for allergies, including eye allergies now diagnosed as allergic conjunctivitis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset during active service and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.
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