Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for migraines, PTSD with TBI (also claimed as anxiety), and plantar fasciitis of the right foot due to insufficient evidence.,No effective date earlier than August 7, 2017 is granted for the grants of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for TBI and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings at any point during the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 30 percent for his service-connected TBI with residual migraines, finding that the evidence did not support an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, traumatic brain injury residuals, PTSD with TBI, and migraine headaches. The remand requires obtaining outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a back disability and TBI, as additional development is needed. Relevant SSA records must be obtained, and treatment records from the hospital where the appellant was treated after being hit in the head with an M16 should also be sought.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations and medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for right knee disability, sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and diverticulosis due to their potential connection with service-connected conditions or other relevant factors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been granted. However, his service connection claims for essential tremors of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity remain denied.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's residuals of TBI due to an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and failure to schedule VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for amblyopia, TBI residuals, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened. The claim for amblyopia is granted as the preexisting condition did not worsen during active service. The claims for TBI residuals and headaches are denied due to lack of evidence supporting a current injury or illness in service. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease is granted at a 10 percent level. The Veteran's TBI with migraine headaches is also granted, but only at the noncompensable (zero percent) level. Other service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and TBI due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed in-service stressors. The Veteran is required to provide additional information or authorization for any outstanding records, including private treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted with an initial rating of 70 percent, effective January 31, 2018. The other conditions have not received a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, TBI, and migraine headaches have been reopened. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The claim of service connection for TBI is denied. A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical strain and residuals of a traumatic brain injury, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection and rating issues related to various conditions, including traumatic brain injury, hip conditions, spine condition, sleep disorder, hysterectomy, hemorrhoids, and obesity.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities combined resulted in debilitating effects that rendered him less capable of resisting heart disease.

The Veteran's right knee disability with knee joint osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Board found no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board determined that there was not enough evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, TBI residuals, and PTSD due to a lack of VA examinations. The cases are now pending further development.

The Board has dismissed all the claims on appeal, including service connection for various disabilities and increased ratings.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for TBI residuals is denied. A separate zero percent evaluation is granted for posttraumatic headaches as residuals of service-connected TBI. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also denied.