Traumatic brain injury (TBI) — all decisions

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for TBI and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability resulting from service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) but denied service connection for memory loss and remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include adjustment disorder with anxious mood.

The Board restored the 40 percent rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and granted a 100 percent rating for persistent depressive disorder with psychotic features with TBI from December 20, 2017 to August 24, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, peripheral vestibular disorder, bilateral hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, and bilateral cataracts. However, it granted a 10 percent disability rating for TBI and a 70 percent disability rating for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, effective from August 21, 2020.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for PTSD and TBI, as well as a TDIU and SMC.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for left knee meniscal tear and chronic rhinitis, but denied earlier effective dates for headaches and a left knee scar. Service connection was also granted for right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased rating to correct duty-to-assist errors, including failing to provide VA examinations.

The Board granted clothing allowances for a back brace and wheelchair, but denied them for a neck brace, bilateral knee braces, pain medication therapy, cane, and walker.

The Board remands the claim for a new TBI examination and opinion to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and TBI, manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas; however, there was no showing of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions, including chronic thoracolumbar strain, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, traumatic brain injury with vertigo, and others.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding the claim for service connection of a traumatic brain injury.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, cervical degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities. A 30 percent rating was also granted for vertigo associated with TBI.

The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected mild neurocognitive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, somatic symptoms disorder with predominant pain, and TBI but remanded other issues.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic cervical spine pain, chronic thoracic spine pain, and traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for TBI, finding that all contended symptoms were duplicative of those already compensated for under other service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, finding the evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's chronic headaches had their onset in service. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent disability evaluation for residuals of a TBI, finding that the earliest effective date was December 7, 2023.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including facial injury with six teeth missing, sinus disability, right eye injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, and cause of death, as well as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, to the AOJ for further development.