Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Veteran's right leg injury and TBI were not incurred in the line of duty due to his own willful misconduct, resulting in denial of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) due to insufficient evidence and the need for further examination. The Veteran reported being wounded in September 1951 during an amphibious landing near Inchon, Korea, with gunshot wounds resulting in loss of teeth on his left lower jaw and injury to his forehead.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and posttraumatic headaches do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

Service connection for prostate cancer residuals was granted with a 10% initial disability rating effective from August 20, 2007. The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals included occasional urinal 'dribbling' that did not require the use of absorbent material, nocturia requiring voiding twice per night, and daytime urinary frequency requiring voiding approximately once every two to two and a half hours prior to May 28, 2013.,From May 28, 2013 onwards, service connection for prostate cancer residuals was granted with a 20% initial disability rating. The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals included ongoing urinal 'dribbling' that still did not require the use of absorbent material, nocturia requiring voiding four times per night, and daytime urinary frequency requiring voiding approximately once every one to two hours.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, and Meniere's disease were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service event that would support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the presence of current residuals of frostbite to upper and lower extremities (excluding right foot), and issuance of a statement of the case addressing his higher initial rating claims.

The Veteran's claims were granted, and he was awarded service connection for various conditions. The initial ratings assigned are generally in line with the severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a 10 percent rating for TBI residuals was denied. The effective date assigned in the August 2010 rating decision is October 23, 2008.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 7, 1991 for the award of service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The initial rating claim is remanded to assign a higher initial rating prior to October 23, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's TBI and PTSD have been granted, but the Board has determined that neither condition warrants a rating in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including consideration of extra-schedular evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for TBI.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of right orbital and macular fractures, nor did it meet the criteria for a compensable rating for TBI prior to October 12, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected post concussion syndrome associated with traumatic brain injury and whether it presents an exceptional or unusual disability picture that requires frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including searching for relevant unit records and providing a VA examination to determine if his current foot, ankle, and lower leg disorders are related to cold weather exposure in Korea during service.

The Board found no residuals of a TBI and denied service connection for the Veteran's right knee disorder. The claim for TDIU was also addressed, but not decided as it is part of the remand process.

The Veteran's skin cancer and foot disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining information about possible in-service radiation exposure. The claims will be readjudicated after the development is completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals from shrapnel wound to the head, traumatic brain injury, and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as mental health condition to include PTSD) due to lack of credible evidence supporting these conditions during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hand disorder, including skin and neurological disorders previously claimed as frostbite of the fingers, is related to his military service. The benefit of doubt has been granted in favor of the Veteran.