Citation Nr: 21006370
Decision Date: 02/04/21	Archive Date: 02/04/21

DOCKET NO. 19-34 330
DATE: February 4, 2021

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for glaucoma is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active service from June 1975 to June 1979.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2017 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).  

Entitlement to service connection for glaucoma is remanded.

The Veteran contends that he is entitled to service connection for glaucoma because he was treated for eye refraction problems in service and was treated within 1 year of service separation (in 1980) at UAB Eye Clinic.  See May 1992 VA Form 21-4138.  There are no records from UAB Eye Clinic currently associated with the Veteran’s electronic claims folder.  Therefore, the Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain the outstanding private treatment records.  

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

Contact the Veteran and request that he provide or authorize the release of records from UAB Eye Clinic as well as any other records, not already of record, that are relevant to his claim. See May 1992 VA Form 21-4138.

If, after making reasonable efforts to obtain non-VA records the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) is unable to secure same, the AOJ must notify the Veteran and (a) identify the specific records the AOJ is unable to obtain; (b) briefly explain the efforts that the AOJ made to obtain those records; (c) describe any further action to be taken by the AOJ with respect to the claim; and (d) inform the Veteran that he is ultimately responsible for providing the evidence. The Veteran must then be given an opportunity to respond.

 

 

Michael A. Pappas

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	Baskerville, LaRita

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.