The Board has determined that the issue of whether the Veteran should receive a separate rating for residuals of traumatic brain injury as noted in the February 2013 TBI examination report, based on the level of impairment in the facets of cognitive impairment and other residuals of TBI, has been raised by the record. The case is also remanded to return the claims file to the examiner who provided the aid and attendance/housebound opinion in February 2013 or reschedule for another VA examination if feasible.
The deciding factor: The decision on whether the Veteran requires aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, concussion with hearing loss, tinnitus, and shrapnel wounds scars, is unclear as it depends on the level of impairment in cognitive impairment and other residuals of TBI. The examiner's opinion should be reviewed for clarity.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Concussion with bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Scars from shrapnel wounds to the face and right arm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 11, 2015
- Citation
- 1534286
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1534286.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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