Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine disability and TBI residuals due to incomplete records from San Diego Naval Base, including Balboa Hospital. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for TBI with focal injury and service connection for residual scars of the head has been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran's attorney.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for TBI and TDIU due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination. The Veteran's statements regarding his injury will be considered, but the nature of the injury and its relation to service are not yet determined.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to new evidence and potential need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's TBI residuals are related to service, specifically his documented falls during active duty and Reserve training.

The Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his active service. The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The Veteran's TBI residuals were initially rated at 0 percent prior to April 24, 2017. Effective April 24, 2017, the Veteran is now entitled to a 40 percent rating for his TBI residuals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of head trauma and/or TBI, finding no evidence to support a diagnosis or etiology related to his service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to failure to obtain VA examinations and incomplete medical records. The case is now pending for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's symptoms of TBI cannot be distinguished from his PTSD, and therefore a separate rating for TBI is not warranted as it would result in pyramiding.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a back disability and traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to inadequate examination opinions. The Veteran's statements regarding his symptoms will be considered in determining whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and asbestosis have been denied due to the lack of current diagnoses.,Service connection has been granted for a scar on the chin associated with a traumatic brain injury.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, frostbite, and TBI as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and readjudication of his claims, specifically regarding the periods from July 30, 2008, to November 13, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and determining whether VA's duty to assist was satisfied. The issues of service connection for TBI, stroke, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are being remanded.

The Veteran's TBI rating was previously reduced to noncompensable, but the Board has now remanded for further evaluation and potential increase in ratings.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for GERD is dismissed. The case has been returned to the Board due to a withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and migraine headaches related to TBI need further review due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied across multiple conditions, including migraine headaches, TBI, PTSD, lumbar spine disability, gout, right and left knee disabilities, and left shoulder disability. The maximum schedular rating of 50 percent was granted for migraine headaches, but no higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating prior to August 16, 2022 for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for left shoulder disability, cervical strain, and neurological disability (including TBI and/or non-combat related concussion) have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.