Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's death claim, as well as claims for service connection for residuals of frostbite and PTSD. Further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, back strain, TBI, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical expenses incurred on November 28, 2015, at St. Peter's Hospital was denied because the VA facility (Fort Harrison Emergency Room) was feasibly available and prior authorization was not obtained.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for TBI with residuals, finding that no claim was filed before May 3, 1999.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to the conditions listed, including ratings and service connection claims. The Board dismissed these appeals as a result.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues are remanded for further development and examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI, post-traumatic migraine headaches, and BPPV is granted with an effective date of July 5, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and to obtain outstanding VA treatment records. He seeks service connection for right and left armpit disorders, a higher rating for glaucoma, and a separate compensable disability rating for skin rash as a residual of his TBI.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for psychiatric disability, TBI, and left thigh and tibia disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for respiratory disorder and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is granted for a respiratory disorder (including asthma and allergic rhinitis with hay fever) and reopened claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to his employment, which precludes him from meeting the criteria for this benefit.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of TBI, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and effective dates have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and earlier effective date claims have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's TBI rating was reduced from 10% to noncompensable effective June 18, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not show improvement in her TBI and restored the 10% rating.,The Veteran's migraine headaches rating was reduced from 50% to 30% effective August 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not show improvement in her migraines and restored the 30% rating.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to service-connected conditions, including PTSD with TBI residuals, heart disability, wrist and ankle disabilities, cervical spine spondylosis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy. The Board has found these issues remanded for further development.,The Veteran's PTSD with TBI residuals is currently rated as 50 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of traumatic brain injury and spider bite, right thigh and knee with cellulitis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The veteran has withdrawn her appeals for increased ratings and TDIU, so these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to the need for an examination to assess his functional limitations caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a TBI and a headache disorder due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether he has these conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his claimed conditions, which he contends are related to an in-service explosion of an immersion heater that caused burns to his face and left eye.