Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and the Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted due to the presence of continuous symptoms since service.,Service connection for TBI residuals and headaches, secondary to TBI, are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's sinusitis from January 31, 2018 to March 14, 2019 is denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The scar of the posterior scalp associated with traumatic brain injury was granted a 10% rating.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left shoulder disabilities, elbow/arm disability, wrist disabilities, knee disabilities with shin splints, low back disability, neuropathy of the lower extremities, cold weather injury residuals, sleep apnea, TBI, and vertigo. The appeals are based on a direct relationship to service without any presumption or secondary connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for PTSD, TBI, and left knee disorder due to potential errors in the record regarding the Veteran's military service. The AOJ is instructed to search for additional records under a former name and social security number.

The Veteran's TBI with cognitive disorder has rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a TDIU. The Board also granted SMC at the housebound rate from January 26, 2015. However, the remaining claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded.

The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated as part of his service-connected psychiatric disorder, and he does not have a separate rating for these residuals. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,The Veteran's right knee DJD is currently rated based on limitation of flexion only. He seeks an increased rating for limitation of extension.

The Veteran's headaches are causally related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The Veteran's TBI claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence, and his left knee disability claim requires a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with a traumatic brain injury is being remanded due to the submission of an invalid opt-in notice under the modernized appellate system.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and a need for a VA examination.

The Board has identified an AOJ error in reducing, severing, and discontinuing the Veteran's VA compensation benefits due to 'fraud' under a regulation that is not applicable to his claims. The issues are remanded for providing a summary of the relevant regulations and readjudicating the cases.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia), headaches, traumatic brain injury, obstructive sleep apnea, knee disorders, foot disorders, ankle disorders, elbow disorders, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, hand disorders, wrist disorders, lumbar spine disorders, shin disorders, cold injury disorders, upper extremity cold injury disorders. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis for these conditions during service or within one year of discharge and thus could not establish service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and will need additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of any traumatic brain injury or its residuals.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed as the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The Veteran's statements about loss of consciousness during service need to be addressed, as well as an incident where he received stitches after an explosion in a prayer house. A new VA examination is required.

The Veteran's application for TDIU prior to December 6, 2022 is remanded due to uncertainty regarding his employment status since July 2014. The AOJ must obtain updated information from the Veteran and any relevant SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes, chronic headaches (to include as secondary to PTSD), and TBI has been granted. The Veteran is also granted a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for TBI, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, anxiety, MDD, and alcohol/drug abuse), a sleep disorder (insomnia), acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction (ED).,The appellant's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection as his bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA's definition of a disability.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) should be remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient verification of combat exposure and inadequate VA examination, which are necessary for a proper determination on service connection for TBI and associated headaches.