Wrist & hand decisions — 2002

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, finding moderate limitation of motion. The claims for secondary service connection for tension headaches and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome have also been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to his service-connected post-traumatic cerebral syndrome and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action, including scheduling a hearing before the Board at the local RO and issuing a statement of the case on his claim for a compensable evaluation for chondromalacia of the left knee.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current left wrist or thumb disorders, and thus the veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected right wrist disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, which approximates mild incomplete paralysis of the median nerve.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's left wrist disability effective November 2, 2001. The veteran previously had an increase in his evaluation to 30 percent effective November 2, 2001.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disorder and right wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) disability, as there is no competent evidence indicating that the appellant has such disabilities related to service. The Board also found that the current compensable rating for ulnar nerve paralysis of the right elbow is not warranted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for right wrist injury residuals was denied. The issues of reopening claims for low back and left wrist disorders, as well as the temporary total rating claim, are pending further review.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for the service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds to the right hand and right chest, as well as for the service-connected traumatic arthritis to the right hand and wrist.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a right wrist fracture, collectively producing impairment equivalent to severe incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve, meet the criteria for a 40 percent rating.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's right wrist disorder, finding that the current 10 percent rating adequately compensates his symptoms.

The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for low back syndrome, but granted compensable evaluations for dry skin of the feet.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected right wrist disability and for an extraschedular rating under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321 for arthritis of the right wrist, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder and the residuals of a left wrist fracture. The claim for infectious hepatitis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's service-connected right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his current functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, reflecting limitation of motion with pain on use.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of fractures of the right wrist and left ankle have been granted, with a 10 percent evaluation assigned for each condition.

The VA Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for right wrist scaphoid fracture and right fifth metacarpal fracture, finding that these conditions were incurred during active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of cold injury and arthritis, were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The claims are denied.