The appeal regarding service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is dismissed. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shin splints, left shin splints, and hypertension. The claims for skin disability, headache disability, Type II diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot pes planus, and left foot pes planus are all remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew the appeal regarding residuals of a traumatic brain injury at his July 2024 Board hearing. The claims for service connection were granted based on direct evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation of the conditions and their current existence.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a traumatic brain injury, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD with amphetamine and alcohol use disorder), right shin splints, left shin splints, skin rash (presumably skin disability), hypertension, headache disability, Type II diabetes mellitus (presumably), obstructive sleep apnea (presumably), lumbar degeneration of intervertebral disc, right elbow pain (presumably right elbow disability), left elbow pain (presumably left elbow disability), right wrist pain and joint stiffness (presumably right wrist disability), left wrist pain and joint stiffness (presumably left wrist disability), right hand pain and joint stiffness (presumably right hand disability), left hand pain and joint stiffness (presumably left hand disability), right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, right foot pes planus (presumably right foot pes planus), left foot pes planus (presumably left foot pes planus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26029122
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 A26029122.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims regarding entitlement to service connection for a headache disability and entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 29, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for right tibiofibular ligament strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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