The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a traumatic brain injury. The Board finds that the Veteran's symptoms are more likely related to his service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of a TBI and opined that the Veteran's reported symptoms were less likely due to an in-service head injury, attributing them instead to his service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Lumbar Spine Disability, Cervical Spine Disability, Bilateral Upper Extremity (BUE) Disability, Bilateral Lower Extremity (BLE) Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2018
- Citation
- 1816818
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 1816818.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- 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.
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