Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a residual disability of a head injury, to include traumatic brain injury, is denied as there is no evidence of such a condition during or since his military service. The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an eye disability, status post hemorrhoidectomy, scar from hemorrhoidectomy, and sinusitis have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 12, 2010 for the award of service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury. The Veteran's claim was received within one year of his separation from active service and thus the effective date is set to be the day after the last day of that period of service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and seizure disorder, finding that the evidence did not support direct service connection or any other form of service connection.

The Veteran's TBI was granted service connection. The right knee and elbow conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion. The right shoulder condition is also remanded, but the rating assigned remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD disability rating was reduced from 70% to 30%, effective September 26, 2013. The TBI claim is granted with a 30% disability rating.

The Veteran is granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and assigned a rating of 70% effective January 30, 2014.,Effective January 30, 2014, the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for Total Disability Evaluation Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder, traumatic brain injury, speech impediment, headaches, and insomnia due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for frostbite residuals of the hands and feet, as well as his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is denied due to lack of prior communication indicating intent to file a claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury, Neuropsychological Disability, and Dental disability due to lack of objective medical evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury, but denied service connection for burn scars on the face and neck.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied. A rating of 40 percent for TBI with cognitive disorder from November 29, 2012 is granted. An earlier effective date than April 17, 2007 for the award of a 30 percent rating for dermographism and an earlier effective date than November 29, 2012 for the award of a 70 percent rating for PTSD are denied.

The Veteran's TBI and PTSD have been granted separate ratings, with the TBI receiving a 40 percent rating effective January 19, 2012. The Veteran has also been granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination reports, and a new VA TBI examination is required.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and migraines. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent evidence.

The Veteran's residuals of traumatic brain injury are rated at 40 percent, but no higher. An initial compensable rating of 30 percent for tension headaches associated with traumatic brain injury is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of the left and right feet, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, were denied. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the frostbite claims, and that there was no medical evidence linking current foot conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for frostbite of the face as there is no current diagnosis and no recent diagnosis prior to filing.

This decision dismisses the appeal for service connection of scarring above right eye. The Veteran's appeals on right arm/shoulder disability, right knee disability, hypertension, and TBI residuals are remanded.,The Board found no current diagnosis of a right arm/shoulder or right knee disability, thus denying service connection for these conditions.,Hypertension is remanded due to the absence of relevant private medical records. The Veteran's TBI claim is also remanded as further evaluation is needed.

The Board denied the requests to reopen claims of service connection for TBI, low back disability, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger management), and glaucoma. The evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.