The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding an in-service head injury and the Veteran's current symptoms. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for chronic residuals of a TBI, as there is no credible evidence linking his current headaches to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran did not have a TBI during service with subsequent residuals, and concluded that it was more likely than not that his memory complaints were due to concurrent substance abuse and psychiatric disorder rather than a TBI incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic residuals of traumatic brain injury, service-connected lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21029035
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 21029035.
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 obstructive sleep apnea as being caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of her lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as to assess her employability given her service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic residuals of a traumatic brain injury is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left arm numbness as secondary to a service-connected disability, and denied claims for increased ratings for residuals of right acromioclavicular separation and shoulder injury and degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5-S1 with intervertebral disc space loss.
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