Main description:

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides disability compensation to veterans with a service-connected injury, and to receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a veteran must submit a claim or have a claim submitted on his or her behalf. Evaluation of the Disability Determination Process for Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans reviews the process by which the VA assesses impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury for purposes of awarding disability compensation. This report also provides recommendations for legislative or administrative action for improving the adjudication of veterans' claims seeking entitlement to compensation for all impairments arising from a traumatic brain injury.

Table of Contents

Front Matter
Summary
1 Introduction
2 Diagnosis and Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury
3 Disability Determination Process for Veterans with Traumatic
Brain Injury
4 Characteristics of a High-Quality Process for Determining
Disability Resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury
5 Summary and Recommendations
Appendix A: Legislation Directing the Study
Appendix B: Definitions of Traumatic Brain Injury
Appendix C: Timeline of Disability and Veterans Compensation Policy
Appendix D: DBQ Initial Evaluation of Residuals of Traumatic Brain
Injury (I-TBI) Disability
Appendix E: 4.124a Schedule of Ratings - Neurological Conditions
and Convulsive Disorders
Appendix F: Case Definitions of Traumatic Brain Injury
Appendix G: MACE 2: Military Acute Concussion Evaluation
Appendix H: Fact Sheet: Coding Guidance for Traumatic Brain Injury
Appendix I: M21-1 Compensation and Pension Manual
Appendix J: Review Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Disability
Benefits Questionnaire
Appendix K: Information and Instructions for Completing Notice of
Disagreement (NOD)
Appendix L: Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals
Appendix M: Neck (Cervical Spine) Conditions Disability Benefits
Questionnaire
Appendix N: Summary Table of U.S. Government Accountability Office
Reports Relevant to Adjudication of Veterans' Disability Claims