Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for auditory processing disorder and dismissed the appeals regarding GERD, irregular appetite, TBI, and PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, jaw disability, and headaches. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate May 2010 VA examination, and a new examination is required.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a TBI examination. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for post-concussive syndrome with dizziness and headaches (claimed as traumatic brain injury) and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are also remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disorder and remanded issues regarding back injury, broken tailbone, and residuals of traumatic brain injury. The claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's pseudotumor cerebri, TBI, and bilateral carpel tunnel (previously claimed as bilateral hand numbness) are all granted service connection. The skin condition is remanded for further examination.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions and denied all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vitiligo, claimed as an autoimmune disorder, is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of in-service herbicide exposure and current diagnosis of vitiligo. High blood pressure, skin disability (including seborrheic keratosis), and traumatic brain injury are remanded due to lack of medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for TBI and its residuals due to a need for additional evidence, specifically a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for traumatic brain injury residuals and remanded the issue of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Veteran's TBI claim was denied due to lack of evidence supporting a diagnosis of TBI during service, while his PTSD claim is pending as additional development is needed.

The Board denied service connection for the residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and SMC based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound, finding that the TBI was not proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, contact dermatitis, TBI residuals, gastrointestinal disorder, PTSD, shoulder disorders, hemorrhoids, cervical spine disability, migraine headaches, vision loss, testosterone imbalance, wrist and hand disorders, hip disorders, and insomnia are all remanded. Additionally, his claim for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, a residual head injury scar, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss is also remanded. His TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hypertension, contact dermatitis, TBI, and gastrointestinal disorders. The Veteran also had his TDIU claim remanded.

The Veteran's TBI with residuals is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and TBI have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,For the compensable rating claim for residuals of fracture, left 4th metacarpal midshaft, a VA x-ray is needed.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for frostbite of the feet was denied. The claims for left knee disorder and right ear hearing loss were granted.

The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of traumatic brain injury, and insomnia.,Service connection was not granted as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of functional impairment related to the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a previously denied bilateral hand disability was not granted as new and material evidence has not been received.,Moderate left carpal tunnel syndrome and mild ulnar neuropathy at the wrist and elbow were not service-connected, as they did not have their onset during active service or within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and an increased rating for Coronary Artery Disease were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of TBI, and that the Veteran’s heart disability met criteria for a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7006.