Citation Nr: 20004850
Decision Date: 01/23/20	Archive Date: 01/21/20

DOCKET NO. 20-00 955
DATE: January 23, 2020

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for residuals of a head injury is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Army from November 1951 to June 1954.

1. Entitlement to service connection for residuals of a head injury is remanded.

The Veteran was afforded a VA examination to address the etiology of his claimed head injury residuals in November 2019.  VA TBI examination, November 2019.  The examiner concluded that he did not have any current residuals of a head injury and that there was no evidence of a head injury in service.  However, the examiner failed to address the October 2016 CT results showing lacunar infarcts of unknown age and whether these were possible current residuals. 

 VA treatment record, October 2016.  Further, she failed to address his DD-214 showing a shrapnel fragment wound to the left side of the head and whether this was evidence of an in-service head injury.  In light of these deficiencies, the head injury claim must be remanded for an addendum opinion.  See Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303, 311 (2007).

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1. Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether (1) the Veteran has any current head injury residuals, and (2) whether any such residuals are at least as likely as not related to his military service.  The Veteran may be recalled for examination if deemed necessary.

In providing this opinion, the examiner should address the findings of lacunar infarcts of unknown age on the August 2016 VA head CT and the in-service shrapnel fragment wound to the left side of the head noted on his DD-214.

 

 

YVETTE R. WHITE

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M. Moore, Counsel

The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.