Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran sustained a cold injury to his hands during service and currently has residuals of this injury, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining any pertinent evidence.

The veteran is seeking service connection for frostbite residuals from World War II. The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an examination and further development of his claim.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the feet is granted as he was exposed to extreme cold during active military service and has current residual symptoms.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing and issuance of a statement of the case regarding his claim for service connection for the residuals of frostbite.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current chronic residual disability of frostbite of the hands related to his active military service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for residuals of frostbite of the feet, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted since the July 1995 rating decision.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a low back disability or residuals of frostbite of the feet, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's residuals of frostbite of both hands and feet. The effective date for resuming a 10 percent evaluation for his left knee disability is set at August 30, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for hearing loss and increased evaluations for residuals of frozen feet and frostbite. The RO granted separate ratings of 20 percent for each foot, but the veteran disagreed with the entire decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for high blood pressure and frostbite, finding no current diagnoses of these conditions in the medical records. The veteran was also denied increased ratings for his right hand disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete evidence and need for VA examinations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development of his service connection claims for frostbite residuals, including obtaining missing medical records and information from Social Security Administration.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear and frostbite of the feet, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board granted the veteran's service connection for residuals of frostbite of the left and right hand, as well as residuals of frostbite of the left and right foot. The effective date is August 27, 1999.

The Board has granted service connection for spondylosis at L5, S1 with muscle strain. Service connection is not established for nephritis, residuals of frostbite to the hands and ears, or shin splints.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral lower extremity disorders, claimed as residuals of frostbite, were incurred in wartime service and granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 14, 1999 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran was found not to be unemployable solely as a result of his service-connected conditions prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for review of all assembled evidence, including additional VA medical records and VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered based on all received evidence.