Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed due to an improper concurrent election.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to a lack of development and consideration of certain private treatment records, as well as VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or information regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was denied because the disability is not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied because the disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied because there is no evidence of loss of consciousness or memory impairment following the motor vehicle accident during service, and post-service VA treatment records do not show a diagnosis of TBI.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected PTSD with traumatic brain injury, and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an earlier effective date for the migraine headache disability rating, as it was already granted from August 31, 2007. The issues of increased ratings for PTSD and major depressive disorder with TBI are remanded due to a duty to assist error in not obtaining SSA records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to obtain his complete service personnel records and service treatment records, which were received prior to the issuance of the decision on appeal.

The Veteran's testicular injury and traumatic brain injury are granted as service-connected. The left eye condition is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, teeth grinding, residuals of TBI, sleep disability, breathing disability, and IBS as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and procedural confusion, requiring a new examination of the Veteran's TBI residuals.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD and unspecified bipolar disorder with TBI was denied, as the evidence did not show that he met the criteria for such a rating prior to July 10, 2024.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's in-service head injuries and his current symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for service connection for a skin condition, traumatic brain injury, a respiratory disability, bilateral shin splints, and bilateral flatfoot.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected psychiatric disorder was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition manifested in deficiencies in most areas or total social and occupational impairment during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for dizziness, TBI, MDD, and anxiety disorder is granted as new evidence has been received. The claims are remanded to obtain VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeal for direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a December 2018 Rating Decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient examination results. The remaining issues of service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 100 percent for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and TBI prior to December 4, 2020 was denied. The Board found that the MDD criteria warranted a higher rating but the maximum schedular rating is already assigned.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for Posttraumatic Headaches as of October 13, 2023 was denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks more than once per month but not completely prostrating and prolonged attacks.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates in several of his claims, including those related to TBI, left shoulder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, posttraumatic migraine headaches, and TDIU. The issues have been remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety has already been granted, as the RO has already granted service connection for major depressive disorder and residuals of traumatic brain injury, which encompasses the entire appeal period.