The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of residuals of a head injury, finding that there is no link between his current cognitive and intellectual impairments and an in-service head injury. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not have any residuals of a head injury during active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA expert opinion concluded that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his in-service head injury, with mild cerebellar atrophy and cortical atrophy more likely due to other etiologies such as natural degeneration or past alcohol use.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of head injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18121697
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18121697.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claims for service connection for PTSD (claimed as schizophrenia), headaches, and schizophrenia. The claim for memory loss and residuals of head injury remains denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of January 21, 2016, for the grant of service connection for unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorder, and a 50 percent disability rating for posttraumatic migraine headaches.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for scars of the right forehead, left lateral eye, and right upper lip. The acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of head injury, headaches, bilateral eye disability, and low back disorder are all denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of head injury has been denied by the Board. The disability is currently rated as zero percent, and the evidence does not support an increase in this rating.
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