Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of traumatic brain injury and osteoarthritis of the lower back have been granted. The effective date for these grants is June 13, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot frostbite residuals and related nerve disabilities, but denied service connection for a claimed right arm disorder.

The Board has remanded all service connection claims due to incomplete STRs and the need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claims include TBI, PTSD, insomnia, eye disorders, ear disorders, shoulder disabilities, back disability, and neck disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, tinnitus associated with TBI, and headaches related to TBI, are not considered sufficient to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a traumatic brain injury due to conflicting evidence in the service treatment records. The case is being sent back for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for a service-connected left leg disability with scarring is dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of an in-service traumatic brain injury (TBI) is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to one or more service-connected disabilities and/or the medications prescribed for treatment of such, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a TBI examination to assess the Veteran's current symptoms and severity of residuals, as well as to differentiate them from his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) because the new evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims, or otherwise raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected frostbite residuals do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, based on his past work history and current medical evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected traumatic brain injury is rated at a 10 percent level, effective from the date of the September 2022 rating decision.

The Veteran's TBI and PTSD are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings.,PTSD is rated at 70 percent from June 16, 2021, but not higher.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected other specified trauma and stress related disorder and traumatic brain injury are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's TBI residuals, diabetes mellitus, peripheral polyneuropathy of the bilateral legs, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, and respiratory disability are granted. The Veteran's left eye photophobia and right eye photophobia are denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, skin disability, TBI, headaches, and eye disability. The Veteran's cerebrovascular accident (blackouts) claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's effective date for adding his spouse and two children as dependents to his compensation award is denied because the required information was not provided within one year of notification.

The Veteran's injuries from a November 14, 1965 motor vehicle accident are not considered incurred in the line of duty due to his absence without leave at the time. Therefore, service connection for traumatic brain injury is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for residuals of head contusion, now claimed as traumatic brain injury. The new evidence supports a finding that these residuals are related to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for TBI, headaches, hearing disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records from the Veteran's second period of active duty service between May 1981 and March 1985. The appeal is being returned to the RO for compliance with the previous remand directives.