Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, TBI, neck disability, migraine and/or tension headaches, low back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD). The reasons provided include a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service injury. The Board has also noted that there is no continuous symptomatology for hypertension within one year of discharge.,The Veteran's claims for TBI, neck disability, migraine and/or tension headaches, low back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded as the Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding service connection claims.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss, major depressive disorder and pain disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), vertigo and dizziness, vision problems to include tunnel vision, erectile dysfunction, and hyperpituitarism with low testosterone are all being remanded.

The Veteran's tension headaches status-post traumatic brain injury are granted a disability rating of 50 percent effective January 13, 2016. The claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to that date is denied.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a traumatic brain injury, an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, and an increased compensable rating from January 29, 2014 and continuing thereafter for status-post right inguinal hernia repair has been dismissed.,An initial rating of 70 percent from January 29, 2014 and continuing thereafter for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder disability, left ankle disability, and TBI due to lack of medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, a ruptured left ear drum, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for liver disorder, HTN, TBI, and residuals of shrapnel wounds to the back are all denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.,There is no competent medical evidence showing a current diagnosis or symptoms related to any of these claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current TBI residuals are related to his service. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if he has any TBI-related symptoms and their etiology.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not warrant readjudication of the tuberculosis claim, as no new and relevant evidence was submitted after the September 2004 denial.,The Veteran's TBI and hypertension claims are remanded due to the submission of new evidence since the April 2010 denial.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to incomplete service records and additional relevant evidence being associated with the record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee condition and TBI have been reopened due to new and material evidence. However, both claims were denied as there is no established link between the conditions and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his current employment as a letter carrier does not meet the criteria for TDIU due to marginal employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from the April 2019 examiner regarding his retained functional ability to use his feet. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, right knee with arthritic changes, right ankle disability with arthritic changes, fractured right foot 1st and 4th toes with arthritis, back disability to include fractures and arthritis, and neck disability to include fractures and arthritis.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of TBI or any other condition related to service.

The appeal for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition has been dismissed.,Service connection for traumatic brain injury and headaches have both been denied. The Veteran's claims are based on in-service pararescue jumps and documented orbital fractures, but the Board found no current disability or sufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and TDIU was denied. The Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA guidelines. His PTSD with TBI has been rated at 100 percent since May 21, 2015. As he had a 100% disability rating for his service-connected conditions and no other disabilities rated as high as 60%, he was not eligible for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition began during service or is related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for tinnitus is also denied, with no current diagnosis found and the Veteran denying recurrent symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for residuals of a TBI, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a low back condition due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty in differentiating symptoms related to TBI from those related to generalized anxiety disorder and/or PTSD. The Veteran will need to undergo further VA examination(s) for this purpose.