Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's claims, and therefore, the case is being remanded for further action.

The Board denied service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as there is no current diagnosis of TBI during the period since the claim was filed or shortly proximate to the filing. The Veteran's statements were not competent and lacked weight.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the Veteran's failure to attend a VA examination and his current health issues. The claim for service connection of TBI will be reconsidered after another examination is conducted.

Service connection is granted for bilateral residuals of cold injury to the feet and hands, claimed as frostbite. Service connection is denied for left shoulder DJD and right shoulder condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues on appeal, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are at issue.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for traumatic brain injury and a back condition. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health issues and history of hospitalizations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being reviewed again as they raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, headaches, anxiety disorder, PTSD and MDD due to head trauma during service. The appeal is allowed in part.

The Veteran's residuals of TBI are not manifested by any facet equating to higher than a level '1' under the Table of Facets of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified.,Since June 2009, the Veteran’s low back disorder has been manifested in painful motion at a non-compensable level. From March 2017 onwards, it manifests with muscle spasm severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from incarceration facilities and scheduling specialized examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for lung disability, colon polyps, TBI (head injury), seizures, bilateral athlete’s foot, and kidney disease. The Board dismissed these appeals.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted. The issue of an evaluation higher than 10 percent for the service-connected head injury from shrapnel wound with subdural hematoma, cerebral edema, scarring, and retained shrapnel fragments (traumatic brain injury or TBI) is remanded.

The appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus is dismissed. Headaches are not productive of prostrating attacks and do not warrant a compensable rating. Service connection for left knee strain and right knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during service or related to service. The Veteran's current right knee disability is remanded due to the lack of a diagnosis in the medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C and an increased rating for TBI residuals were both denied. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s current conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury, Eye Disorder (Blurred Vision), Heart Condition, and Diabetes Mellitus require further development due to incomplete medical records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The RO must obtain updated VA treatment records from various facilities and associate them with the claims file.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of TBI, pruritus, and sternum dislocation.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service or other factors.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his cervical spine disability, TBI residuals (memory loss), and migraine headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.