The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and evaluations for various conditions. The Veteran's TBI claim is denied due to lack of evidence of current disability related to the in-service injury. Service connection for left arm surgery scars remains denied as there are no residuals attributable to the in-service injury. Other claims have been remanded without assigning a specific disposition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran did not have residuals from his service-connected TBI and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition. The VA examiners provided opinions indicating that any cognitive impairment is less likely related to the in-service TBI, given its long latency period after the injury. Other claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Left Arm Surgery Scars, Sinus Disorder, Headaches, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Neurocognitive Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19100222
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 granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI due to a duty to assist error.
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