The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for macular atrophy bilateral and macular scar should be remanded to obtain clarification on whether these conditions are congenital or developmental defects, and if so, whether they were aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The pre-decisional record did not clarify whether the Veteran's ocular condition is a congenital disease or defect for benefits purposes, nor did it address whether any in-service complaints related to his eyes were due to the natural progress of the preexisting condition.
- Claimed conditions
- macular atrophy bilateral, macular scar
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2024
- Citation
- A24041335
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 A24041335.
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 Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the impact of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral dry eye syndrome on his other eye conditions, including cataracts, macular scar, pinguecula, arcus senilis, and glaucoma. The case will be returned for further development.
- Denied
The Veteran's left eye disorders, including cortical senile cataracts, macular scar, hyperopia, and astigmatism, were not incurred in service. The Board found no link between the current eye conditions and his service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new eye examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right eye blindness due to trauma with central scotoma. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will also be addressed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's left eye disabilities and his service. The Veteran is asked to provide any outstanding private treatment records from Dr. J.F.G. and complete a VA Form 13055 for another examination.
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