Wrist & hand decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed neck, cervical spine, and low back disability including arthritis, as well as his right hand and wrist injury residuals, and arm and leg weakness, are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right wrist disability and also denied reopening his left wrist disability claim. The decision is final as he was already receiving the highest possible rating for his right wrist condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and left Dupuytren's contractures, finding that the current diagnoses are not attributable to service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left shoulder disorder, asbestosis due to asbestos exposure, or bilateral wrist and hip disorders incurred in service.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome and an initial compensable disability rating for a scar from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome was not seen in service or post-service, and there is no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his period of service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left wrist sprain and carpal tunnel syndrome, and finds no evidence to support service connection for these conditions. The veteran's ring finger disorder is currently rated as noncompensably disabling.

The Board granted service connection for left elbow tendonitis and right wrist tendonitis, but only at a noncompensable level. The rating was later increased to 10 percent effective April 30, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent prior to December 2, 1997 and from February 1, 1998. For the period after November 8, 2001, the Board found no evidence of impairment warranting a rating greater than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder, left knee, left wrist, and lumbar spine disabilities are related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hand and wrist disability, including rheumatoid arthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by her active duty service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The VA determined that the evidence did not support a finding of current disability related to his military service.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar disability was not found to warrant an increased evaluation, and his claims for other conditions were denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, elbow, and wrist disabilities are being remanded due to the failure of the veteran to appear for scheduled VA examinations. The case will be returned after compliance with requisite appellate procedures.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for status post resection of the left distal ulna and increased the disability rating for status post fracture of the left wrist to 20 percent. The decision was not clearly erroneous.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a chronic bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome of service origin and denied his claim for service connection. For his lumbosacral strain with narrowed disc space at L-5/S-1, the Board concluded that there is sufficient evidence to grant a 60% evaluation based on severe symptoms.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and a peripheral nerve disorder (CTS), all claimed as secondary to her service-connected polycystic ovarian syndrome.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at the Muskogee Regional Office.

The Board found that the veteran's right wrist disability, manifested by weakness, stiffness, and inflammation, did not warrant a higher rating than 10 percent for the period from March 20, 2001 to December 9, 2003, and from February 1, 2004 to present.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected postoperative residuals, ganglion cyst, right wrist was denied due to failure to report without good cause for VA compensation examinations.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome of his right hand does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.