Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and remanded the claims for service connection for a benign head tumor, left ear hearing loss, neurological impairment of cranial nerves, and balance disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his TBI/psychiatric disorder and lumbar spine/radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the Veteran's active duty records being unavailable. The Veteran is asked to provide any additional medical or non-medical evidence, including witness statements and medical records, to support his account of events during his U.S. Army Reserve assignment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for TBI and unspecified joint pain. Service connection is granted for gastrointestinal disorder, neurological symptoms of bilateral upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran injured his low back during combat service with continuity of symptomatology since the injury. The diagnosis of lumbosacral strain secondary to Marie-Strumpell's (rheumatoid spondylitis) disease cannot be disassociated from the in-service injury and the x-ray findings of bony ankylosis of the dorsal spine during service.,The Board has also granted service connection for Raynaud’s syndrome as a residual of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding that reasonable doubt establishes that he manifested Raynaud’s syndrome as a residual of frostbite of the hands and feet.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no effective date or rating adjustments are granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for TBI residuals is granted as he sustained an in-service injury and has current disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite residuals in each extremity due to a lack of VA examination and medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for a head injury and cervical spine disorder was denied. The Board found that the submitted evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and there is no medical nexus between the current conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic brain injury and headaches associated with the injury are being remanded due to incomplete medical records from Methodist Charlton Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as there is no evidence that his current symptoms are related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected status post frostbite right and left foot disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral heel spurs, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's claim for bilateral shin splints was not addressed as it is separate from the main issues.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability was also denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a new TDIU evaluation. The Veteran's PTSD, TBI, and headaches are all being reviewed for increased ratings.

The Veteran's low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss are currently rated as 10 percent each. The Board denied increased ratings for these conditions.,Service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches secondary to TBI, and an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to TBI was not granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request to withdraw all pending appeals.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of a TBI and remanded it due to insufficient evidence. The appellant needs to provide updated VA treatment records, STRs, and SPRs related to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury and left knee disability have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or direct service connection. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a TBI during service, and his left knee disability is not shown to be related to his right knee condition.

Service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and bilateral pes planus and bilateral foot disabilities has been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected conditions are related to his period of active duty.