Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including VA examinations and obtaining additional evidence. The appellant's service character is being reviewed due to his AWOL during active duty.

The Board has ordered additional development to clarify the cause of death and assess whether service-related conditions contributed to the Veteran's death. The case is now remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for TBI and other disabilities are also referred to the AOJ.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his service-connected TBI, and therefore, he is denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury. The claim for headaches remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are pending.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA medical expenses incurred at University of Washington Medical Center on August 23, 2008 is denied as the treatment was not rendered in an emergency situation and no other conditions for reimbursement under VA regulations were met.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of TBI are characterized by impairment of less than 2 for all facets of cognitive impairment and other residuals, resulting in a rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining service personnel and treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to assess his left ear hearing loss, and obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's TBI resulted from a post-service motor vehicle accident in May 2006, and there is no credible evidence linking his current TBI to service.

The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits has been granted. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss, as well as the claims for PTSD, back disability, neck disability, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, bilateral shoulder disabilities, and traumatic brain injury have also been addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating for Traumatic Epilepsy, but service connection was granted for Traumatic Brain Injury with a 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and an earlier effective date for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied. The substantive appeal regarding the October 2006 denial was not timely filed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the basic eligibility requirements for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his inability to walk and use a cane.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, bilateral pes planus, and residuals of TBI including headaches as the Veteran did not present credible evidence that these conditions began during his service or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address whether the Veteran's current foot, ankle, and lower leg complaints are residuals of frostbite or exposure to cold weather while in service.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for TBI and cervical spondylosis with headaches, both determined to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for tinnitus, PTSD, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and TBI have been granted.

The Board found that the interruption of vocational rehabilitation benefits was proper due to the Veteran's failure to maintain satisfactory conduct and cooperation, as well as his inability to achieve a feasible employment goal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a traumatic brain injury, but remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran is presumed sound upon entry into military service, and his current symptoms are related to in-service head injuries.