Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2016

The Board has granted an effective date of January 26, 2007 for the award of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's original claim was pending until July 2012 when it was finally adjudicated and granted.

The Veteran is unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the Veteran, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current TBI and psychiatric disorders are related to his service, including multiple in-service head injuries. The claim for a neck injury is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, residuals of a left eye injury, and residuals of frostbite to both feet. The decision found that there was no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right foot disabilities are being remanded to the AOJ due to the need for additional VA examinations and development of records.

Service connection is denied for residuals of a head injury, to include a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Service connection is granted for arthritis of the right thumb.,The Veteran's current right thumb pain is related to his in-service fracture.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, residuals of TBI, and seizure disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of a TBI during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's TBI with post-concussive syndrome had its onset in service and is related to his military service, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TBI with residuals of memory loss and impaired judgment and cognitive impairment is currently rated at 70 percent effective October 6, 2014.,Prior to this date, the Veteran was assigned a 10 percent rating for his TBI.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. Service connection claims for various conditions are pending.

The Veteran's TBI with headaches and migraine/tension headaches have been rated, but not all issues are resolved. The Veteran received a 10% rating for his TBI prior to November 22, 2010, and a 30% rating for his migraine and tension headaches effective from September 30, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, migraines, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have all been denied. The Board found no current evidence of residuals from the in-service TBI or migraines, and concluded that there was insufficient medical nexus to support service connection.

The Veteran's TBI with residual headaches was reduced from a 70% rating to a 10% rating effective January 20, 2011. The Board found that the reduction was not proper and determined a 40% rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea must be remanded due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's right ankle disability and TBI have been evaluated based on their current manifestations, with no additional compensable ratings granted. Headaches were not found to be related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected frostbite residuals did not meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7122, and thus denied all increased rating claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The initial disability ratings for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are still under consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.