Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the relationship between his service and any current disabilities. The TDIU claim is also being addressed.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, including a medical opinion regarding whether his frostbite in service contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The case is being remanded for additional examinations and assessments to determine the validity of service connection claims, including for TBI, PTSD, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service records and the need for a VA examination to determine if any current bilateral hand neurological disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome, is related to inservice frostbite.

The Veteran's appeal is currently pending and requires further examination to determine the relationship between his current TBI residuals and neck disability with service. The case will be remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for TBI, bilateral metatarsalgia, and bilateral plantar fasciitis as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's frostbite residuals of the right and left legs and feet are related to his in-service exposure to cold weather, resulting in frostbite. As such, service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and clarification of the medical records, as well as for new opinions regarding his hearing loss and foot frostbite conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of various conditions, including PTSD. The initial rating for PTSD prior to April 30, 2009, and on and after December 1, 2009, was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his TBI with cognitive defects is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of VA medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular requirement for a TDIU and are reasonably shown to render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 16, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the applicable criteria. The TBI with postconcussive headache residuals warrants a noncompensable rating. There is no compensable rating for vertigo.

The Veteran's headaches, residuals of a traumatic brain injury, are rated at 10 percent. The Board found no evidence to warrant an increase in rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine if he experienced TBI due to an in-service blast and whether his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to that injury.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss, headaches, and traumatic brain injury have been granted. The Veteran is now rated at 70% for his traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's right eye disorder, PTSD, TBI, headaches, and vertigo have been granted effective as of April 10, 2014.,An earlier effective date for these disabilities is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current residuals of a traumatic brain injury and finds that there is no credible evidence to support his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, on a direct or secondary basis to migraine headaches associated with TBI. The Veteran's claim of service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded to obtain updated treatment records, a VA examination, and further development.