The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions are inadequate and as such, the RO should have obtained clarifying opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left eye condition was caused or aggravated by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The VA ophthalmologist did not address the private DBQ from 2019 and the timeline provided by the Veteran's treating optometrist.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA medical opinions were inadequate due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left eye condition was caused or aggravated by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The VA ophthalmologist did not address the private DBQ from 2019 and the timeline provided by the Veteran's treating optometrist.
- Claimed conditions
- left eye disability, alternating exotropia, pseudophakia, pigmentary glaucoma, loss of vision in the left eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 13, 2024
- Citation
- A24056274
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 A24056274.
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 decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including failing to obtain SSA records and VA medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left eye disability is secondary to his service-connected hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral eye condition, which is presumed to be related to service. The Veteran seeks service connection for glaucoma and pseudophakia, but the VA examiners' opinions are deemed inadequate.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye condition, including nonexudative age-related macular degeneration and pseudophakia, due to exposure to environmental toxins during his military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and the Board is dismissing the case.
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