Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete documentation of the consent form for the Veteran's sinus surgery performed on July 9, 2007 at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. The Veteran is seeking compensation under Section 1151 for complications from this procedure.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for TBI and acquired psychiatric disability, as well as the issue of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran needs new examinations and records from SSA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The claim for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied. The claim for residuals of frostbite in the feet is remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD and TBI.,Service connection for an autoimmune disease (claimed as CFS) and a stomach disability are remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 21, 2008 for service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals with cognitive decline is granted. The Board found that the Veteran’s July 2008 statement constituted an informal claim based on his notation that he was treated for a head injury during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her lumbar spine disability, tension headaches, and PTSD with MDD and TBI are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disability, frostbite of the left and right great toes were denied. The TDIU claim was also denied as his disabilities did not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

Service connection has been granted for residuals of frostbite of the left and right lower extremities. The Veteran's cervical dystonia and GERD claims are being returned for further development.,The Veteran's cervical dystonia claim is being returned for a new medical opinion due to inadequate reasoning in the previous VA examination. His GERD claim is also being returned for an examination as there was no full evaluation of his condition.,Service connection for residuals of frostbite of the upper extremities and peripheral neuropathy are being returned for further development, including examinations to assess these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left shoulder disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, right ear hearing loss, bronchitis, irregular heart beat and dyspnea, frostbite of the left hand, diarrhea, and residuals of tick bites. The appeals are all denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is denied as there is no current diagnosis of TBI and the VA examinations found no evidence of a TBI.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for tension headaches associated with TBI is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the December 2016 VA examination and his assertion that he experiences one to two incapacitating headaches per week.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a mood disorder, have been withdrawn.,Issues regarding service connection for back, neck, and hip disorders are being remanded for further examination and analysis.,The claim for service connection for TBI is also being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with his other claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his hip, knee, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims in a December 2018 written statement.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on several service connection issues, and the Board is dismissing those claims. The claim for an increased rating for postoperative ventral hernia with scar is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right shoulder sprain was dismissed. The Board granted a TDIU effective February 11, 2008, due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for a TBI and initial ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions. The Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood is rated at 70 percent. Initial ratings for his shoulder strains, wrist tendonitis, little finger strain, lumbar degenerative joint disease, knee patellofemoral syndrome, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the Veteran's TBI and acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as whether his service-connected laceration scar of the occipital area caused or contributed to his death. The appellant contends that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of traumatic brain injury including headaches. The conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to determine if a current acquired psychiatric disability, such as PTSD, is present and whether it is at least as likely as not caused by or related to service.