Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied, and the claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to questions regarding whether the Veteran can be granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate, given his service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim for PTSD is also pending and will need further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed Traumatic Brain Injury and its relationship to service. The claim will be reconsidered with new evidence and argument.

The Veteran's PTSD and TBI symptoms have been rated as 30 percent disabling prior to May 23, 2022. From May 23, 2022, the rating has been denied.,A separate compensable rating for peripheral vestibular disorder secondary to in-service TBIs is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his TBI residuals is being remanded due to the need for clarification of the specific mental disorder attributed to his TBI and additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's TDIU rating and SMC at the housebound rate prior to February 1, 2014 were denied because he was gainfully employed as a hotel housekeeper during this period.

The Board has granted service connection for dizziness, finding that the Veteran's dizziness is caused by medication taken to treat his service-connected PTSD. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service injury and continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for TBI, headaches, right knee strain, and left knee strain were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of impairment more nearly approximating a 10% or higher rating for any condition.

The Veteran's TBI disability is not manifested by any facet equating to higher than a level '0' impairment, and the other manifestations of his TBI are covered under separate ratings assigned for cognitive impairment with history of syncope, obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and tinnitus. Therefore, an initial compensable disability rating for TBI is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records regarding a line of duty determination for a motor vehicle accident that led to the Veteran's TBI. The AOJ is instructed to seek these records from various repositories.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development. The issues include rashes in both ankles and feet, TBI, and ulcerative colitis.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of a current TBI as a result of the Veteran's military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including TBI and headaches, has been dismissed. The issue of entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, finding that there was no evidence of a TBI in service and attributing current symptoms to other conditions such as PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for TBI residuals and PTSD were denied because he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed traumatic brain injury. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated treatment records and an addendum VA opinion.

The Veteran's neurocognitive disorder (TBI), including cognitive disorder, posttraumatic brain syndrome, and traumatic brain injury, is granted as service-connected due to in-service combat injuries sustained while serving in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and an increased rating for PTSD and TBI with cognitive impairment are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.