Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has dismissed all issues on appeal due to the Veteran's concurrent election of a supplemental claim, higher level review, and Board review.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 7, 2009 for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic headaches associated with a TBI was denied as there is no basis to assign such an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary due to scheduling issues and the need for updated VA examinations. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TBI has been reopened, but the claims are denied as there is no current disability found to meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been denied.,The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo have been remanded due to the need for a supplemental statement of the case.

Service connection is granted for musculoskeletal chest pain.,Service connection is denied for a heart disability.,Service connection is denied for residuals of frostbite to the left lower extremity and right lower extremity.,Service connection is remanded for a left ankle disability and sinus/respiratory disability.

The Veteran's initial rating for TBI residuals and migraine headaches was increased from 10 percent to 0 percent, effective October 12, 2022. The reduction of the rating is being remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's service-connected paranoid schizophrenia is granted, effective from the date of the decision.,A 50 percent disability rating for migraine headaches is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of bilateral feet and hepatitis are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as there was no clinical diagnosis of TBI with current residuals at any time during the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of TBI with residuals, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The issues of sleep apnea, major depressive disorder, other specified trauma disorder, chronic lumbosacral muscular strain with degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, post traumatic synovitis left ankle, and TDIU are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU due solely to a service-connected TBI is granted as of March 25, 2013. SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1134 is granted from March 27, 2015, to May 8, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, headaches, and brain thrombosis due to in-service injuries. Additional clarification is needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected left knee strain, right knee status post synovectomy and degenerative spur at superior patella, left knee instability, right knee instability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The remand requires additional development including new VA examinations to assess the severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of traumatic brain injury is granted as the evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether his current symptoms are attributable to his in-service TBI.

The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for service-connected syncope, a higher initial rating for his service-connected psychiatric condition with TBI, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain pertinent medical records and provide the Veteran with an opinion regarding his reported 'dizzy spells'.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for right maxillary sinusitis secondary to fracture zygoma are denied as the earliest effective date is August 1, 2016.