The Veteran's claim for a right corneal abrasion is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claims for diabetes, hypertension, and kidney conditions are remanded due to potential service connection based on exposure at Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea is remanded due to his contention that he has had the condition for over 30 years.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral pes planus is remanded as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation by service.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative arthritis, right hip, is remanded due to lack of a nexus between service and his current condition.,The Veteran's claims for right and left ankle conditions are both remanded.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of the claimed right corneal abrasion in the medical records. The claim must be denied as there is insufficient evidence to establish a present disability.,Service connection may be granted based on exposure at Camp Lejeune, but further examination and opinion are needed to determine if service connection can be established for diabetes, hypertension, and kidney conditions.,The Veteran's wife provided testimony indicating that he has had sleep apnea for over 30 years. Further examination is required to establish a nexus between his current condition and service.,There is no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation by service for the bilateral pes planus condition, which was noted at entry into service. A VA examination is needed to determine if service connection can be established.,The examiner's opinion did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his right hip pain over time and lack of specific injury during service. Further examination is required to establish a nexus between service and current degenerative arthritis, right hip condition.,Both ankle conditions are remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine if they were caused by service.
- Claimed conditions
- right corneal abrasion, diabetes, hypertension, kidney condition, sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, degenerative arthritis, right hip, right ankle condition, left ankle condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2026
- Citation
- A26034819
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 A26034819.
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
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