Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's TBI is related to service or secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and seizures, to include as secondary to TBI. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence linking his current conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury, including TBI residuals, and for depression and PTSD. The claims are based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or secondary conditions.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for residuals of a TBI was denied. The appeal regarding the extension beyond April 30, 2016, of a temporary total rating for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and TBI residuals. The neck disorder claim is denied as new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and depression were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for lumbar disc degeneration status post fusion, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome. The Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, disability ratings in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea with insomnia, and disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for hypertension were denied.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for right ear hearing loss or erectile dysfunction. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury with memory loss. The decision found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims are granted in part, as they relate to his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's left facial pain and swelling are granted as service-connected. The rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied, but the Veteran receives a separate 10 percent rating from October 7, 2008 to August 23, 2009. Headaches receive a 50 percent rating since October 7, 2008. PTSD remains at 70 percent and residuals of traumatic brain injury are granted with varying ratings based on the period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's alcohol dependence disorder and its relationship to his service-connected posttraumatic vascular headaches.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his Reserve service. The AOJ must obtain and associate any missing records, including those from Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Social Security Administration disability benefit records. They should also consider the Veteran's ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA service periods.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and headaches are remanded due to internal inconsistencies in the May 2017 VA examination, and need further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as there is no probative evidence of a current diagnosis of TBI, and the Veteran's symptoms were more likely related to his post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's neck disability has been granted service connection, with the decision to reopen the claim based on new evidence of a relationship between current symptoms and service. The right hand disability also received service connection.,Issues related to TBI residuals, neck disability (secondary to football injuries), left leg disability (secondary to knee disability), and left foot disability (manifested by numbness) secondary to knee disability remain pending.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for TBI should be remanded due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether there are current residuals of TBI and if so, whether they are related to service. The Veteran testified about experiencing headaches and dizziness after hitting his head during an alarm for general quarters in service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection of a low back disability, bilateral pes planus, and TBI were granted. The right knee and paronychia issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a comprehensive medical opinion regarding the Veteran's head injury.

The Veteran's TBI was granted service connection effective March 20, 1996.

The Veteran's TBI with posttraumatic ocular migraine headaches have been rated at 10 percent prior to January 15, 2013 and at 30 percent since then. The case is being remanded for additional development including obtaining private medical records from the Omaha Headache Clinic.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and residuals of head injury or TBI, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.