The Veteran's claim for service connection and compensation for right eye disability, including under 38 USC § 1151 and as due to a toxic exposure related activity (TERA), is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The AOJ must obtain all outstanding VA and private treatment records, prepare a TERA memorandum and ILER report, and provide a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed right eye disability.
The deciding factor: The AOJ failed to obtain all necessary medical records and properly develop the claim for toxic exposure related activity (TERA) exposures, which warrants remand.
- Claimed conditions
- vision loss/blindness, ischemic optic neuropathy, presence of intraocular lens
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2024
- Citation
- A24085572
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 A24085572.
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 insufficient evidence and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's eye disabilities, including bilateral cataracts, hypertensive retinopathy, hypermetropia, astigmatism, presbyopia, unspecified peripheral retinal degeneration, dry eye syndrome, presence of intraocular lens, old branch retinal vein occlusion, and bilateral pinguecula.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for ischemic optic neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected carcinoma of glottis and laryngeal cancer, but denied service connection for tooth decay.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral eye disability, including bilateral vitreous floaters and presence of intraocular lens, is related to active service, specifically a period of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) in 1996. As such, service connection is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for eye disability, initial evaluation of bilateral hearing loss, and psychiatric disability are all denied. The Veteran also does not meet the criteria for an aid and attendance allowance or a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.
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