Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and Seizure Disorder were granted with effective dates of April 18, 2019.,SMC at the housebound rate was also granted on this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and migraine headaches due to insufficient information in medical opinions provided. The AOJ is instructed to make reasonable efforts to obtain a medical opinion that considers all relevant evidence, including the Veteran's service treatment records.

The Veteran's increased rating for migraines and TDIU based on his TBI including PTSD with anxiety alone are granted, effective September 3, 2023. An earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI, and vertigo, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD with TBI is granted a 70 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran's migraine headaches are denied any increase in rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims prior to a scheduled hearing.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected coronary artery disease and posttraumatic stress disorder with TBI, effective September 22, 2023.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for anterograde amnesia/memory loss, neurological disorder (to include as secondary to anterograde amnesia/memory loss), seizure disorder, TBI (toxic encephalopathy), and toxic brain injury. The issues were addressed in a December 2025 decision.

Service connection is granted for TBI, right knee strain, left knee strain, and left hip osteoarthritis.,Service connection is denied for right elbow pain and left elbow pain. Service connection for a left elbow scar is also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for heart murmur and allergic rhinitis, finding the current conditions are related to service. Service connection was denied for headaches and residuals of traumatic brain injury due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's attempts to appeal the January 14, 2020 rating decision were not timely filed and dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to his respiratory disability, which is presumed by the PACT Act. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a permanent and total disability resulting in anatomical loss of use of both hands, burns, or residuals of an inhalational injury.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for unspecified adjustment disorder and residuals of traumatic brain injury were denied. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating in these cases.

The Veteran's tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury are rated at 50 percent each. The Board has granted a TDIU from October 30, 2014 to July 10, 2024 due to the severity of these service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's TBI and back disability are granted, but his chest pain/costochondritis, left foot disability, and right foot disability claims are denied. The Board also remanded several issues for further review.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's cardiorespiratory arrest to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The attempted appeal of service connection for posttraumatic brain injury (TBI) has been dismissed.,Service connection for headache disability, erectile dysfunction, and pituitary gland disability is being remanded for further review.

The Veteran's request for HLR was timely filed, and the appeal is granted. The VA continued the 10 percent and 50 percent evaluations for his TBI and headaches disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for service connection of Raynaud's syndrome associated with frostbite is denied. The Board found that the issue was not reasonably raised at the time of the December 1986 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a right shoulder condition, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and TBI residuals due to potential errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.