Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or its residuals, and thus service connection for TBI is denied.

The Veteran's TBI is not productive of any current symptoms or manifestations, and his left ankle disability does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,The Veteran's left ankle disability was not productive of loss of use of the foot, ankylosis, or the functional equivalent thereof. The Veteran is not so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities and he does not have a service-connected disability rated 100 percent.

The Veteran's TBI is presumed to be related to service due to combat exposure, and the Board grants service connection for a traumatic brain injury.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cataracts are not related to his service eye injury, and concluded there were no residuals of a TBI in service. The appeals for these claims are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, including cognitive learning disorder and concussion residuals. However, the Veteran's claim for ADD was denied as there is no evidence to support a current diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is denied as there is no evidence showing current residuals are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's seizure disorder and acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorder NOS and cognitive disorder NOS, are related to his service. The residuals of traumatic brain injury have not been established as a separate condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer, polycythemia, residuals of frostbite of upper and lower extremities, degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The reasons were that there was no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or asbestos in service, and the current conditions did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of compliance with previous remand orders. The Veteran's wife is seeking service connection for memory loss related to his TBI, but the VA examiner did not provide an opinion regarding whether this condition was related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for post-concussive syndrome/traumatic brain injury and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran sustained a concussion in service resulting in TBI. The psychiatric disability is considered to be related to his service-connected TBI.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service, and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and assigned an initial rating of 20 percent, effective from January 2011. The Veteran's TBI and headache claims were denied. The increased rating claim for the right shoulder was granted.

The Veteran seeks effective dates earlier than the assigned dates for service connection of PTSD and TBI. The Board finds that the earliest effective date warranted is July 21, 2005, for TBI.

The Veteran's deviated septum is rated at a 10 percent evaluation since April 23, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an earlier effective date for this rating.

The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service head injury or competent, probative evidence linking the Veteran's current memory loss, concentration problems, and insomnia to his service-connected TBI. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of her appeals.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that new and material evidence was presented. The appeal is now on the merits.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple spine conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.