The Veteran seeks service connection for traumatic brain injury, claimed as residuals of head injury and right ear injury. The Board finds that a remand is required to obtain the Veteran's medical records from Noble Army Hospital in Fort McClellan, Alabama, and provide an addendum opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that the TBI/head injury/ear injury residuals were either caused or aggravated by the 1964 MVA.
The deciding factor: The medical records from Noble Army Hospital are necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current symptoms and whether they are related to his service-connected disabilities or a service incurrence.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury, Head injury, Right ear injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 8, 2017
- Citation
- 1720502
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 1720502.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial ratings for anxiety disorder and TBI were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board granted entitlement to SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(t) effective January 21, 2019, based on the appellant's need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected TBI.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected traumatic brain injury is being remanded due to a procedural error.
- Granted
The Board granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA care provided by AMRM on March 30, 2021, finding that it met the criteria under 38 U.S.C. § 1725.
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