Wrist & hand decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist, do not warrant higher disability ratings. The veteran's tinnitus was rated as 10 percent disabling prior to June 10, 2003, but no higher rating is warranted from that date forward. The veteran's right thumb fracture and bilateral Eustachian tube dysfunction are each rated at the minimum of 0 percent. The veteran's post-operative pilonidal cyst, right leg, and torn medial meniscus, right knee, are also rated at the minimum of 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim. The initial compensable evaluation for residuals of a right wrist fracture is also denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the veteran for appropriate examinations to determine the nature and severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left wrist fracture, including traumatic arthritis and nonunion of the scaphoid bone. The veteran's testimony and medical evidence support this determination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and right knee disorder. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his active military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and found that the veteran's current hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service. The other claims are pending further development.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the left wrist condition, finding it more severe than currently evaluated. The right wrist condition remains at its current 50 percent rating.

The veteran's PTSD resulted in severe social and industrial impairment, warranting a 100% evaluation from April 16, 2001. The RO granted service connection for PTSD and assigned an initial rating of 70 percent effective October 31, 1996.

The Board denied service connection for post traumatic stress disorder and a cervical spine disorder. The veteran's lumbar myositis, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was initially granted with a 10 percent evaluation from December 16, 1997 to June 13, 2002, which was later increased to 40 percent effective June 14, 2002. The veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were each assigned initial compensable evaluations, while his scars of the posterior aspect of the left elbow and right upper back and osteoarthritis of the left wrist, history of left wrist fracture received initial non-compensable evaluations.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected spinal cerebellar degeneration, which is currently rated at 10 percent. The condition is characterized by mild symptoms and no more than mild disability.

The VA denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for nerve damage to the left wrist resulting from an IV insertion during a cystoscopy in September 1999, finding no additional disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension and is unable to determine if service connection should be granted for a bilateral upper extremity disorder due to lack of information from the VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for each of the conditions he is seeking service connection for, and thus his claims are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder tendinitis, but denied service connection for right shoulder disability and left wrist disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for liver damage and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not well grounded, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or since active service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of timely appeal.

The veteran's service-connected right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The veteran's appeal is denied as he did not complete his obligated 3 years of active duty and none of the exceptions to this requirement are present in his case.