Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tendonitis, vaginitis, sleep disturbance, TBI, right hip disability, and left hip disability have been denied.,New evidence has reopened the claim for service connection of bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for residuals of frostbite in the hands and feet, service connection for cause of death, and a hearing loss claim. The examiner is to provide opinions on whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to service-connected PTSD or anxiety.

The Veteran's left thigh impairment and left hip flexion disability are each granted an initial compensable rating of 10 percent, while the TBI residuals remain noncompensably rated.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection were partially denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s psychiatric disabilities are at worst manifest by symptoms most comparable to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, resulting in a 70% rating. The issues of residuals of frostbite and GERD service connection, as well as the rating for hypertrophic gastritis post-operative removal of sigmoid colon polyps and colon polyps, were remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury as the evidence does not support a current diagnosis and no relationship to in-service injury is shown.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and exposure to burn pits during service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disorders and residuals of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, neck disability, low back disability, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The evidence supports these findings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist injury is granted. The claims for status post fifth toe fracture and status first metatarsal osteotomy, left are remanded.

The Veteran's pancreatitis, status-post laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is not manifested by frequently recurrent disabling attacks of abdominal pain with few pain-free intermissions and with steatorrhea, malabsorption, diarrhea and severe malnutrition.,The Veteran’s TBI symptoms do not satisfy the criteria for level 2 impairment in any facet.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a stomach disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI), headaches, nerve damage to the right wrist, and chronic anxiety reaction with psychological gastrointestinal complaints due to insufficient examination reports addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, particularly regarding his claimed psychiatric disability. The effective date of service connection for headaches associated with TBI remains denied.

The appeal concerning earlier effective date of June 7, 1993 for the grant of service connection for traumatic brain injury is dismissed. The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and an effective date prior to July 2, 2014 for TBI are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's traumatic brain injury, including its residuals, was incurred during active service and is not a result of any pre-existing condition. The decision does not address the impact of subsequent nonservice-connected injuries on the rating.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and traumatic brain injury, but denied service connection for hypertension. The claims for hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claims.,Obstructive sleep apnea has been granted.

The Veteran's hypertension and back disorder are granted service connection, while the TBI claim is denied. The claims for complications from transvaginal mesh implantation, left shoulder disorder, and right shoulder disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to November 27, 2012 for a 70 percent rating for service-connected TBI is denied. The Board found that the appropriate effective date was November 27, 2012.

The Board denied reopening the claims for right hip and right leg disorders due to lack of service connection.,The Veteran's fall at a VA facility did not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 as his injuries were not caused by care, treatment or examination provided by VA.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for partially impacted wisdom teeth and residuals of TBI. The Veteran's claims are not granted as there is no service-connected disability found.