Wrist & hand decisions — 2005

The veteran is seeking service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, which he claims was caused by repetitive typing during his military service. The RO has been instructed to obtain all relevant medical records and schedule the veteran for a VA examination to determine if any currently diagnosed bilateral wrist disorder, including carpal tunnel syndrome, is related to his periods of active service.

The Board found that the veteran's degenerative changes (arthritis) of the lumbosacral spine and arthritis of major joints, to include knees, shoulders, and wrists, were not incurred as a result of an incident of active service nor as a result of a service-connected disability.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, finding that the disability does not warrant a higher evaluation based on the evidence provided.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examination of his left ankle disability, and obtaining Social Security Administration records. The claims are also being remanded for further development.

The veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent, and he has other service-connected conditions. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating for his right knee condition or a TDIU based on his overall disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and requests for additional evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's right hand and wrist disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and arthritis of the right hand may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board also denied the reduction of the rating for coronary artery disease with hypertension.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in loss of use of both lower extremities, requiring specially adapted housing.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the medical evidence, including obtaining service medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if the veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bleeding in the stomach, subdural hematoma (claimed as hematosis), and wrist, ankle, neck, elbow, and knee disorders were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen claims for fatigue and headaches.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD and residuals of a right wrist injury, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches, left wrist disorder, and right wrist disorder. The claim regarding PTSD was withdrawn by the veteran prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome, but not for left carpal tunnel syndrome.

The veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were denied in October 1997, and the claim for initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was granted with a 20 percent rating effective from August 27, 1997. The claim for an increased evaluation to 40 percent for diabetes mellitus is also denied.,The veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not reopened as the submitted evidence was not new and material.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The initial evaluation for paramyotonia congenita was granted, but the other claims remain unresolved.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for back sprain, allergies, ulcer, eye disorder, neuralgia, skin disorder, and arthritis of the right hand and wrist. The evidence received since the September 1985 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for allergic rhinitis, finding that it first appeared during active military service and has continued to the present.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, low back disability, thoracic outlet syndrome, right hand disability, tendonitis of bilateral elbows, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of objective evidence supporting his claimed conditions, and because these symptoms have not yet been manifested to a 10% degree.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service records and for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.