Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection in full, including reopening of previously denied claims and granting new evaluations.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) he claims was incurred during active military service in Kuwait. The Board notes inconsistencies in the Veteran's reports of loss of consciousness following IED explosions and finds that further examination is needed to determine if he has current residuals related to his TBI.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, which required insulin and a restricted diet, warrants a 20 percent evaluation from March 30, 1990 to October 6, 1996.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, coronary disease with dilated cardiomyopathy, residuals of frostbite, headaches, shoulder disability, and depression/anxiety. The claim for an eye disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran's idiopathic thrombocytopenia does not warrant a compensable rating. Service connection for traumatic brain injury was denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking his headaches to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, residuals of cold injury to both hands and feet, residuals of cold injury to face and ears, scapula fracture, cervical spine fracture, hypertension, and sleep disorder have been denied. The reasons are provided in the reasoning section.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of frostbite to the fingers and PTSD due to lack of credible evidence supporting these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of cold weather injury of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, which are claimed as frostbite and also adjudicated as cold injury sequela. The decision finds that these symptoms had their onset in service.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for unilateral cold injury of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for VA examinations and further review of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of his back pain and mental health conditions.

The Veteran's cognitive disorder and traumatic brain injury with post-concussive syndrome and chronic daily headaches have been granted service connection. The Board finds that the Veteran should be afforded another VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including how they affect his ability to work.

The Veteran's scar above the right eyebrow is rated noncompensable, as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.,Prior to October 23, 2008, the Veteran's residuals of TBI with chronic headaches were rated at 10 percent. Since then, his cognitive impairment and subjective symptoms have warranted an increased rating to 10 percent.,Since October 23, 2008, the Veteran has been assigned a separate rating of 10 percent for right supraorbital neuralgia, which is considered a residual of TBI.

The Board has determined that additional medical records and examinations are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and hearing loss has been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism and residuals of a traumatic brain injury was denied as there is no evidence that the conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of the feet and poor circulation was denied as there is no competent or credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and mild traumatic brain injury was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially or materially to his death. Therefore, the claim for DIC benefits is denied.