The Board has determined that an effective date prior to July 30, 2012 for the grant of service connection for TBI is not warranted. The Veteran's claim was based on a new theory of entitlement and there is no evidence he sought service connection for TBI prior to July 30, 2012.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have intent to apply for benefits relating to TBI prior to July 30, 2012, as evidenced by the lack of mention of TBI in his previous claims and treatment records. There is no evidence that he sought service connection for TBI before this date.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Mood Disorder NOS, Anxiety Disorder NOS, Cognitive Disorder NOS
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18119966
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 18119966.
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 Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and therefore, service connection for TBI is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance due to service-connected TBI with PTSD is granted, effective September 6, 2018.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for aid and attendance is granted due to his cognitive impairment resulting from a motor vehicle accident in 2018, which has rendered him unable to work and needing assistance with daily activities.
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