Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2023

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability, TBI residuals, and sleep disturbance. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and her period of service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has denied service connection for memory loss, developmental learning disability, erectile dysfunction, and traumatic brain injury due to a lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD and TBI symptoms have been rated at a combined 70 percent, effective from the entire appeal period. The rating is based on overlapping symptoms of both conditions.

The Board has restored the prior separate 10 percent rating for TBI, finding that the Veteran's memory impairment is due to his TBI and not his PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, left ankle recurrent sprain, TBI, and headaches were denied. The claim to reopen service connection for low back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right ankle disorder was also denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions, including hypertension, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, TBI, and tinnitus. The effective date for hypertension was set at April 12, 2017.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate addendum opinions. The Veteran's TBI and PTSD are being considered separately, and his sleep disorder is being evaluated as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including effective date determinations and rating decisions. The TDIU issue is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for stomach ulcers, low back disorder, mood disorder, TBI, and cognitive disorder due to TBI. The evidence did not establish a current diagnosis or link these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbosacral degenerative joint disease, tinnitus, right elbow degenerative joint disease, and others, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective August 13, 2021.

The Veteran's initial rating for TBI residuals prior to October 23, 2008 was denied. For the period on appeal from October 23, 2008 onwards, his ratings were also denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claims for service connection for TBI and PTSD with depression, but has remanded both issues due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination reports.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome has been granted.,Claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The claims for higher ratings for right foot strain and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, finding that there is no current diagnosis or evidence supporting such a condition related to her in-service head injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the Board found no new or material evidence to reopen these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied for all other conditions.

The Veteran's TBI-related cognitive impairment is now rated at 70 percent effective September 8, 2021. The Board also remanded the issues of increased rating for residuals of TBI and total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sleep apnea and traumatic brain injury are both granted, but the decision on TBI is remanded due to inadequate VA examination.