The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate TERA opinion and requests an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's vision disorder, specifically addressing his conceded exposure to fuel contaminants in ground water.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on a pre-decisional duty to assist error related to the adequacy of the TERA opinion provided by VA.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of Vision, Bilateral Nuclear Cataracts
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26014838
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 A26014838.
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.
- Partly granted
The claims for service connection for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and temporary total evaluation are dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of a head injury (dizziness, disorientation, and loss of memory), seizure disorder, and a disability manifested by loss of vision. The appeals are granted as to these reopened issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to service connection. The issues are related to whether these conditions began during or were caused by periods of active military service.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of a head injury during service and denied the Veteran's claims for TBI and loss of vision. The current visual disability was not related to service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding the issues of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral wrist disability, sleep apnea, and residuals of meningitis has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus clearly and unmistakably pre-existed active duty service and was not incurred or aggravated by such service.
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