The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding the relationship of the Veteran's brain injury and the in-service exposure to jet fuel, resulting in a grant of service connection for a brain injury due to toxic chemical exposure.
The deciding factor: The private physician determined that the Veteran's cognitive difficulties were a result of jet fuel exposure during service. The VA examiner who provided the mental evaluation determined that the Veteran's cognitive difficulties were multifactorial in nature, including side effects from narcotics and substance abuse. The Board affords the Veteran the benefit of the doubt.
- Claimed conditions
- mild neurocognitive disorder, cognitive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 14, 2016
- Citation
- 1623701
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 1623701.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's TBI residuals, including depressive disorder, cognitive impairment, chronic sinusitis, migraines, vertigo, anosmia, hypogeusia, and trigeminal nerve neuralgia, require aid and attendance. The Veteran is not eligible for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(2). Without regular aid and attendance, the Veteran would need residential institutional care due to safety concerns.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed reduction of the disability rating for cognitive disorder, adjustment disorder, and insomnia is dismissed because there has been no adverse action taken.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and a separate rating due to insufficient evidence and need for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's cognitive disorder and granted an initial 10 percent rating for left-hand tremors, while remanding the issue of an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left upper extremity neuralgia of the radial nerve.
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