Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and ear condition, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and right elbow nerve condition. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and TBI. The effective date claim is also being remanded.

An effective date of August 8, 2014 for service connection of post-concussive headaches associated with TBI is granted. A disability rating in excess of 30 percent for post-concussive headaches associated with TBI is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 17, 2017, for TBI with headaches and a rating in excess of 10 percent beginning February 17, 2017, and prior to December 30, 2019, for TBI due to inadequate examinations that did not address the Veteran's contentions regarding syncope.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if her conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and denied service connection for traumatic brain injury residuals, sleep disorder, and seizures.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, anxiety disorder, and TBI. The claims for increased ratings and effective dates are also being reconsidered.

The Veteran's bilateral shin splints, cervical spine sprain, and left ankle tendonitis are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are granted as service-connected.,PTSD, IBS, right shoulder disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right ankle disorder, right foot disorder, right knee disorder, scar on the left parietal scalp area, and right groin scar were not granted effective dates prior to December 11, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for repaired mandibular fracture has been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury and an acquired psychiatric disability have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD with TBI and alcohol use disorder has been granted a rating of 70 percent, effective February 11, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to May 8, 2017, and a rating in excess of 50 percent for his service-connected psychiatric disability are denied. The Board also remanded the issues regarding service connection for a respiratory disability and TDIU.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's TBI and whether it is related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection regarding his TBI is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for effective dates prior to June 19, 2018 for service connection of a Traumatic Brain Injury and Acute Intermittent Tension Headaches due to unclear consideration of relevant Service Treatment Records (STRs) in the November 2018 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence being added to the record and a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) not having been issued yet.

The Veteran's asthma, PTSD with depressive disorder and opioid use disorder, and TBI ratings are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TBI with insomnia disorder is rated at 40 percent effective September 1, 2016.,The Veteran's vertigo related to the service-connected TBI is rated at 10 percent effective September 1, 2016.

The Veteran's TBI, post-concussion headaches, right knee limitation of extension, and left knee limitation of extension were granted service connection effective June 29, 2016.,A 10 percent disability rating for right knee joint osteoarthritis was also granted effective June 29, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as there is no current evidence of the claimed conditions and service connection cannot be established.,There is no current diagnosis for gastric ulcers, and the Veteran did not have a diagnosed condition during or contemporary to the appeal period.

The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are currently rated as non-compensable, and the TBI residuals are rated together with PTSD. The Board finds no basis for a separate compensable rating for TBI.,For the TBI component of his disability picture, the Veteran does not have subjective symptoms that moderately interfere with work, instrumental activities of daily living, or family relationships.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding suicide attempts, treatment records, and employment information.