Citation Nr: 18146805 Decision Date: 11/01/18 Archive Date: 11/01/18 DOCKET NO. 17-07 071 DATE: November 1, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left eye disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the U.S. Army from January 1969 to February 1971. This matter comes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2015 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Columbia, South Carolina. In a November 2015 notice of disagreement, the Veteran raised the issue of his entitlement to service connection for a right eye disability. If the Veteran wishes to pursue a claim for service connection for the right eye, he should file a formal application with the RO so that appropriate action can be taken. See 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.1(p), 3.155, 3.160. Entitlement to service connection for a left eye disability is remanded. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of glaucoma of the left eye and has relayed his belief that his current disability is related to engaging in the sport of boxing while in service. See July 2018 Appellate Brief, p. 2. Further development is necessary. See, e.g., McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79, 83 (2006) (for claims of service connection, VA has a duty to provide a veteran with a medical examination where he has provided credible evidence of a disability that may be associated with service). This matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Request from all appropriate source(s) copies of any records which might reflect the Veteran’s involvement in the sport of boxing during service. For any Federal records that are sought, efforts to obtain the evidence should be fully documented, and should be discontinued only if it is concluded that the evidence sought does not exist or that further efforts to obtain the evidence would be futile. 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(2). The evidence procured, if any, should be associated with the record. 2. Obtain copies of records pertaining to any relevant VA treatment the Veteran has received since the time that such records were last procured, following the procedures set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. The evidence obtained, if any, should be associated with the record. 3. After the foregoing development has been completed to the extent possible, arrange to have the Veteran scheduled for a VA eye examination. The examiner should review the record. All indicated tests should be conducted and the results reported. After examining the Veteran and reviewing the record, together with the results of any testing deemed necessary, the examiner should identify any eye disabilities the Veteran has had at any time since July 2015 (when he filed his claim for service connection), to include glaucoma of the left eye. Then, with respect to each such disability, the examiner should offer an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (i.e., whether it is 50 percent or more probable) that the disability had its onset in, or is otherwise attributable to, the Veteran’s period of active service, to include as a result of being repeatedly struck in the vicinity of the eye while engaged in the sport of boxing during service. The examiner is advised that the Veteran is competent to report his symptoms and history, and such reports must be considered. If the examiner rejects the Veteran’s reports, the examiner must provide a reason for doing so. A complete medical rationale for all opinions expressed must be provided. 4. After completing the above, and any other development as may be indicated by any response received as a consequence of the actions taken in the preceding paragraphs, the Veteran’s claim should be readjudicated based on the entirety of the evidence. If the benefit sought remains denied, the Veteran and his representative should be issued a supplemental statement of the case. An appropriate period of time should be allowed for response. DAVID A. BRENNINGMEYER Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD W.V. Walker, Associate Counsel