The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's allergic conjunctivitis and bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca. The claims are being returned for further development.
The deciding factor: The previous VA opinion was found to be inadequate, as it did not consider the Veteran's lay statements about in-service fuel exposure and the service treatment records regarding his eyes.
- Claimed conditions
- allergic conjunctivitis, bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23008746
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 23008746.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability of hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for allergic conjunctivitis is denied due to inactive conjunctivitis with no evidence of impairment or disfigurement.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral cataracts, dry eye syndrome, allergic conjunctivitis, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by an in-service event.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for allergic conjunctivitis and blepharitis due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for essential hypertension, bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca, pancreatic issues, interstitial lung disease, respiratory bronchial problems, and bilateral tinnitus due to a pre-decisional error in not attempting to reschedule VA examinations.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.