Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted for his back, neck, right knee, left knee, or frostbite residuals.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and ensuring compliance with the requested action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development of his claims, including a VA examination by a neurologist and retrieval of additional VA outpatient records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death from metastatic prostate cancer, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being REMANDED to the RO for further action, including scheduling a hearing at his correctional facility or accommodating his request through other means. The case will be returned to the Board if necessary.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his service, specifically his time in Iraq and on active duty. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service head injury or electrocution, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility for educational assistance under Chapter 33, Title 38, United States Code is denied as his service was characterized as honorable conditions and the reason for discharge was misconduct, not a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective December 1, 2006. The Veteran has also been granted service connection for tinnitus with a 10% disability rating effective December 1, 2006.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and determined that the Veteran's disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, lumbar spine injury, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD medications), and traumatic brain injury, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU have been granted. The effective date of the award of service connection for TBI with headaches is set at December 1, 1967.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have bilateral hearing loss or a right shoulder disorder for which service connection is warranted. The claim for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety) remains pending.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder and chronic traumatic brain injury residuals have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of frostbite to his neck or lower extremities, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The Board also found no evidence linking any bilateral knee or hip disabilities to his military service, including as secondary to his claimed residuals of frostbite.

The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current TBI, to include headaches, to service. The VA treatment records do not show a continuity of symptomatology from service to the present. Therefore, service connection for TBI is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his current symptoms and whether they are related to service.

The Board found no evidence of frostbite residuals in service and concluded that the Veteran's current left foot conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's back or TBI, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the feet. The Board also found that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran has current symptoms of residuals of frostbite of the feet, which are related to his military service.