Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless that he is in need of regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status, thus his claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 1, 2019 for the grant of TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The decision is not about service connection but rather about the effective date of a previously granted TDIU.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for cold injury of the right and left lower extremities, but denied both claims due to lack of evidence linking current disabilities to in-service exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected TBI and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and residuals of traumatic brain injury due to additional evidence added to the file by VA.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for a hernia repair, also claimed as a right testicle condition, and for left foot disability (residuals of frostbite).,Both issues have been remanded due to insufficient medical evidence to establish a clear link between the current conditions and service.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and issuing a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). The issues include ratings for various disabilities related to TBI, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder, right knee, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left thumb sprain, right thumb disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, eye disability, ulnar nerve paresthesias, ankle and wrist disabilities, nausea, constipation, and other conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI, migraine headaches, cervical spine IVDS and DDD, thoracolumbar spine strain, and TMJ disorder. The Veteran's conditions are deemed to have been incurred in the line of duty during his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the left and right hands, as well as his claims for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression), a back disability, and a right knee disability. The issues have been remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, back disability, neck disability, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to new evidence submitted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the appellant's mental health conditions and whether he was insane at the time of his misconduct. The appeal is not about service connection but rather the character of discharge.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims for various conditions. The Veteran's hearing loss and TBI are not currently established as service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and residuals of traumatic brain injury were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's headaches had their onset during active service and are granted service connection. The issue of service connection for a traumatic brain injury is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and TBI are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for service connection for a traumatic brain injury before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's TBI, including whether it is related to service or if his already determined service-connected headaches cause or aggravate his TBI.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate examination reports.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for blurred vision, finding that a medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and its medications are the proximate cause or aggravation of his claimed blurred vision condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 1, 1994, for service connection of PTSD was denied. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.