Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2003

The veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings for his perirectal abscess, pes planus, and contact dermatitis. The claim for residuals of frostbite of the right third finger remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected peptic ulcer disease contributed substantially to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appellant is also eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The veteran withdrew all his pending appeals, including the one for service connection for cold weather injury to include frostbite of the ears and nose.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional VA examinations and records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is causally related to noise exposure in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's residuals of frostbite of the feet, finding that there is relative equipoise on whether he sustained a cold injury during service and experienced continuous post-service symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the veteran's frostbite residuals are incurred in active service, and thus granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right lower extremity disabilities, including neuropathy and chronic venous stasis with venous insufficiency, are as likely as not related to his frostbite injury sustained during active service.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding no evidence of current residuals related to service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and nicotine dependence.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The RO also denied his request for vocational rehabilitation benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for residuals of frostbite of the feet is granted, based on credible testimony and medical opinions supporting a cold injury in Korea.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, frostbite of hands, left thigh pain, and bilateral foot condition. The evidence submitted since the September 1995 decision was not considered sufficient to reopen any of these claims.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of frostbite to the feet, finding that there was no evidence of a cold injury during service and no ongoing symptoms or treatment related to such an injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an eye disorder, a skin disorder as a manifestation of undiagnosed illness, and residuals of frostbite. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of frostbite, to include arthritis, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year thereafter.

The veteran's hypertension is not service-connected, but his frostbite residuals are rated at 30 percent for the period from January 12, 1998.

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation. The veteran's claims were not supported by sufficient evidence or medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain medical records and a VA examination, in order to determine if the veteran's current peripheral vascular disease is related to his reported frostbite during World War II.

The Board denied service connection for multiple joint arthritis and residuals of frostbite to the hands, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service. The veteran's status post laminectomy with degenerative changes is currently rated at 40 percent.