The Veteran's service connection for dry eye syndrome is granted, while the claims for a bilateral eye condition other than dry eye syndrome and a left hand condition are denied. The remaining issues of digestive system disability and sialadenitis are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance regarding the Veteran's dry eye syndrome being related to his herbicide exposure, thus granting service connection for it. However, there is no competent evidence linking epiphora or other conditions to his military service or service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- dry eye syndrome, bilateral eye condition other than dry eye syndrome (claimed as epiphora), to include pseudophakia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 23, 2025
- Citation
- 25008264
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left eye conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma and remanded the issue of service connection for an eye disability other than left eye conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma, to include dry eye syndrome and pinguecula.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for a mental health condition and denied service connection for an eye condition. The claims for autoimmune limbic encephalitis with non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (NPLE) with GAD65 antibodies and dystonia and dystonic tremor were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection and higher ratings, requesting to submit supplemental claims instead.
- 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.
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