Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a TBI is granted. The issue of reopening the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is also granted, but the issues of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of both upper extremities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his previously reopened claim for TBI residuals was also denied. The Board found insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's TBI is being remanded for a new medical opinion to determine if it clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service, and whether it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for a lower back condition, frostbite residuals (claimed as pain), depression, and bilateral hearing loss.

The claims of service connection for various conditions, including TBI, seizure disorder, lower back disability, and others are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for bilateral tinnitus is dismissed. The claim for service connection for OSA and residuals of a TBI are reopened, but the request to reopen claims for PTSD, hiatal hernia and esophageal ulcer, and abdominal scar are denied.

The Veteran's appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for a cognitive disorder due to mild TBI is dismissed. The appeals for right ankle and low back conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disorder, cleat injury to the left side, and lumbar spine disorder are not service-connected.,Service connection for frostbite of the bilateral lower extremities is remanded.

The Board has remanded the DIC claim due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's cause of death and if so, which ones. The appellant asserts that TBI, PTSD, prostate cancer, and scalp scars may have aggravated hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

The Veteran's TBI is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of current evidence meeting VA criteria.,Left great toe ulcer is not service-connected, as it did not develop from a service-connected condition and there was no good cause for non-attendance at the scheduled examination.,Increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities are denied due to lack of evidence showing worsening since last rating determination.,Increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities are denied due to lack of evidence showing worsening since last rating determination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and for increased ratings for residuals of left and right lower extremity frostbite. The Veteran's diabetes was not shown to have started in or within one year after his military service, and there is no medical evidence linking his current diabetes to his service. For the frostbite claims, the Board found that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD, alcohol use disorder with TBI is denied. The Board finds that the appropriate effective date for the grant of service connection for these conditions is August 18, 2017. Service connection for left arm, shoulder, hip, knee, and low back disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's service-connected post-concussion syndrome and traumatic brain injury are at issue.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability, OSA, generalized anxiety disorder, and TBI residuals are all granted with the appropriate ratings. The effective date for the higher rating of OSA is set at August 9, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability. The claims of service connection for left ankle and bilateral hip disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence. Service connection for TBI residuals is also remanded.

The Veteran withdrew all of the issues on appeal, including those related to service connection for various disabilities. The Board has no further jurisdiction in these matters.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and Bipolar Disorder are granted, but his claim for TBI is denied.

The Board has determined that there is no currently diagnosed traumatic brain injury or its residuals, despite the Veteran's reported exposure to blasts during service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of such a condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for TBI residuals is denied.,For the appeal period prior to September 30, 2019, a 20 percent rating was granted for his lumbar spine disability. Beginning September 30, 2019, he received an increased rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU. The issue of an initial compensable rating for TBI is remanded due to insufficient evidence.