The Board remands the claim for service connection of visual impairment to clarify whether the Veteran's bilateral astigmatism was worsened during service by a superimposed injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The AOJ erred by not clarifying whether the Veteran's astigmatism could have been worsened by an in-service head injury, as refractive errors may be service-connected if a superimposed disease or injury caused a worsening.
- Claimed conditions
- visual impairment, bilateral astigmatism
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 24, 2024
- Citation
- A24068747
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all claims for earlier effective dates, increased ratings, and service connection as they were not timely filed or did not meet the criteria for an extension.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for visual impairment due to a lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for visual impairment, finding no evidence of a current disability and no causal relationship to the Veteran's service.
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