Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD, with a history of adjustment disorder and traumatic brain injury (TBI), is rated at 50 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for seizures, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the residuals of acute mountain sickness are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic sinusitis and traumatic brain injury as there was no probative medical evidence linking the current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's sinusitis has not been manifested by incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment or non-incapacitating episodes characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge. Therefore, a compensable rating is denied.,Diabetes mellitus, Type II, requires only a restricted diet and oral hypoglycemic agent but does not require insulin or regulation of activities. Thus, the current 20 percent rating for diabetes mellitus remains unchanged.,The Veteran's sleep apnea has not been confirmed by VA records, and further clarification is needed regarding its nature and etiology as well as whether it is related to service-connected conditions.,TBI was added to the already service-connected PTSD without separate ratings. The issue of an initial compensable rating for TBI remains unresolved.

The Veteran's diplopia is granted as a symptom of her service-connected migraine headaches. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected residuals of frostbite of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to incomplete review of medical records and failure to perform imaging studies.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the lack of evidence for the period between December 14, 2010 and February 28, 2012. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other issues.

The Veteran's service connection for headaches is granted, and a compensable rating for his TBI is denied. The right ankle disability claim is remanded, and the TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals, TBI as there is no current diagnosis of TBI or its residuals.

The Board denied service connection for TBI due to lack of a current diagnosis, while granting service connection for aggravated bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection was granted for the aggravation of existing right and left ear hearing loss during active service.

The Veteran's cognitive disorder is rated at 70 percent, but the claim for service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis and existing service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, TBI, and psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of VA examinations addressing all relevant theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck condition, PTSD, head injury (TBI), and depressive disorder is granted.,Service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease is granted. Service connection for PTSD is granted. Service connection for head injury (TBI) is remanded due to lack of an adequate VA examination. Service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease is also remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for temporal lobe dysfunction (claimed as TBI) due to new evidence received since the March 1991 decision. However, the issue is remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury. The issues of service connection for neck disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not require hospital treatment in excess of 21 days, thus the temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization is denied.

The Veteran's hearing loss in the left ear is denied as there is no current disability of hearing loss according to VA standards.,The Veteran's rescinding (receding) gum with skin graft claim is denied as there is no compensable dental condition that can be linked to service.

The Veteran's service-connected TBI, migraine headaches and dizziness have been granted effective from August 26, 2014.

The Veteran's initial claim for a rating of 100 percent for TBI was granted effective April 23, 2013. The appeal is also granted to assign an earlier effective date of April 23, 2013.