Wrist & hand decisions — 2000

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for evaluations of his bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left wrist ganglion cyst. The right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent disabling.

The veteran's left foot and right arm and wrist injuries are not service-connected due to the accident being a result of his own willful misconduct.

The veteran's TDIU was granted effective March 16, 2000. The RO found that the veteran had met the schedular criteria for consideration of a TDIU claim and there was evidence of current service-connected unemployability in his claims file.

The veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and his bilateral hearing loss and postoperative right wrist injury are denied increased ratings.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for a right wrist disorder is well grounded. However, there was no evidence showing a preexisting right wrist condition during service or any increase in severity due to service. The VA examiner did not review the claims file and relied on the veteran’s account of an in-service surgery which lacks supporting medical records.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of shotgun wounds to the left anterior cervical region and the left hand and wrist were denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral shin splints, a low back disability, a left leg disability as secondary to a low back disability, eczema (skin disorder), a right wrist disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the veteran did not submit competent evidence to show plausible claims for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome are well grounded. The appeal is granted to this extent.

The veteran's claims of service connection for an object in the right eye, a disability manifested by right foot and heel pain, shoulder injury residuals, and tender right wrist are not supported by evidence. The claim for initial noncompensable evaluation for residuals of fracture, right thumb is supported by evidence.,The veteran has submitted well-grounded claims for service connection for back condition and left index finger injury residuals.

The Board has determined that a rating in excess of 10 percent for periarthritis of the right wrist is denied.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation (10%) for the veteran's tenosynovitis of the right thumb and wrist, effective from June 28, 1992.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and assigned a 10% rating for the left wrist arthritis with neurological impairment. The issues of increased ratings are also addressed.

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for plantar fasciitis, a left eye disorder, a bilateral wrist disorder, a rectal disorder, residuals of a nose injury, and headaches are not well-grounded.,There is no competent evidence linking the veteran's current conditions to his period of active service.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic rhinitis/sinusitis with nonprostrating headaches does not warrant a higher evaluation, and her bilateral hearing loss and left wrist strain do not meet compensable criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ear pain, numbness in the extremities, wrist and hand pain, and right hip pain are not well grounded as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during her military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The RO will schedule the veteran for additional examinations and consider his claims again.

The veteran's laceration scars of the right forearm, with carpal tunnel syndrome, are currently rated at 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that these symptoms do not warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8515.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a shrapnel wound to the left wrist and an injury to muscle group II in his right axilla, are currently rated at their maximum levels. The scars on his feet and leg do not meet criteria for any additional evaluation.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's post-operative right wrist injury with carpal tunnel syndrome and residuals of a right eye injury, as well as service connection for hypertension secondary to these conditions. The veteran was granted a 30 percent evaluation for his right wrist condition.