Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of a traumatic brain injury that began in service or is causally related to service. His service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, as evidenced by his significant limitations due to his service-connected lower extremity disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of service connection for TBI, headaches, and a bilateral knee disability. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain new examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries, including those to his left clavicle, ribs, spleen, and brain, are related to service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the relationship between his TBI and sleep apnea with service. The right forearm scar evaluation will also be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding pain on examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective dates for benefits were not established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a broken nose and peripheral and lateral vision problems, as well as his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI with headaches, have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the upper and lower extremities is being remanded due to unavailability of his service treatment records. The Board will seek alternate source development, arrange for a VA examination, and review the evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for an updated assessment of his eligibility for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits, given changes in his employment status and combined evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury was denied as there is no current evidence of such a condition. The issue of entitlement to total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities has been referred and will be addressed in the future.

The Board denied service connection for back disability and an increased rating for TBI with migraines, but granted a noncompensable initial rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's frostbite residuals of both feet, including peripheral neuropathy, are related to his active service exposure to cold weather and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for memory loss, TBI, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disorder, stomach disorder, and type II diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to appear for a scheduled VA examination and other procedural issues. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for pseudogout has been dismissed as the issue is moot due to a prior grant of service connection under different terminology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing on his initial increased rating claims for headaches and TBI residuals. Both issues are related, so they should be considered together.

The Board found that new evidence raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for TBI with memory loss, but did not establish service connection due to lack of in-service head trauma. The Veteran's current cognitive disorder is linked to his service-connected adenoid cystic carcinoma and radiation therapy, which was not considered aggravation.

The Board found that the Veteran's head trauma, resulting from a car accident in service due to his own willful misconduct, did not occur in the line of duty and therefore cannot be considered service-connected.