Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including sinus disorder, TBI, dizziness, and disorders of the jaw and/or cheek, cervical spine, thoracic spine, right elbow, right wrist, left hip, and right hip, was denied. The Board found no chronic or recurrent sinus problems during service.

The Veteran does not have TBI that is causally related to service, and his headaches are not found to be due to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's TBI residuals claim is denied as there is no evidence of current or past TBI.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anger, drug abuse, and crowd avoidance, is also denied due to lack of a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities have been denied multiple times, and new and material evidence has not been submitted in all cases. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his current disabilities.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities have been denied multiple times, and new and material evidence has not been submitted in all cases. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his current disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected traumatic brain injury has resulted in mild daily headaches, mild impairment of visual spatial orientation, irritability, and difficulty with memory and concentration. The Board found that these symptoms do not warrant a rating higher than the current 10 percent assigned for TBI with headaches.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected condition, specifically his bilateral knee replacement surgery. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether this contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has current TBI residuals related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected low back strain and TBI with residual headaches do not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Board found that his current ratings adequately reflect the severity of his disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for traumatic brain injury, finding that new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted initial 30 percent ratings for residuals of frostbite of the right and left feet, effective from March 28, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current traumatic brain injury or residuals thereof, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss remains pending as the RO has issued a decision but has yet to provide a Statement of the Case (SOC). The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss requires additional clarification from the VA examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for residuals from a TBI incurred during service, including symptoms such as blurred vision, head injury, post-concussion syndrome, temporary loss of balance, hostility, fatigue, insomnia, and memory problems.

The Veteran seeks service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) related to a March 1995 collision during service. The Board finds that additional development is necessary, including obtaining relevant treatment records and providing the Veteran with a VA TBI examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and depression, or residuals of a head injury, including TBI, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for TBI, but the Veteran does not have a current disability or residuals from an in-service head injury. The Board finds that his current memory loss is more likely due to substance abuse than a past head injury.

The Veteran's residuals of frostbite of both hands have been rated at the maximum 30 percent since the onset of his disability, based on persistent symptoms including arthralgia, numbness, nail abnormalities and color changes.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 30 percent for residuals of TBI, including vertigo, oscillopsia, abnormal gait, and status post repair of perilymph fistulas was denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that a VA medical addendum is needed, and the Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted service connection and assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.,Tinnitus has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected residuals of a traumatic brain injury is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and possible extraschedular consideration.