Wrist & hand decisions — 2006

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's right wrist disability from April 8, 2004, forward. The earlier period remains at 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's otitis externa and left wrist disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including low back, left shoulder, bilateral knee, wrist and hand, and foot disorders are denied as there is no evidence of current disability related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of carpal tunnel syndrome or diabetes mellitus, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and carpal tunnel syndrome, and denied an increased evaluation for major depressive disorder and post-traumatic laceration of the right forearm with incomplete right ulnar nerve lesion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and anxiety disorders, bilateral hip disorder, arthritis of the wrists and hands, and bilateral leg and knee disorders. The appeals were dismissed as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder condition, left knee and elbow conditions, right knee condition, upper back condition, left wrist condition, hemorrhoids, and asbestos exposure. The Board found that the current conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent. Service connection for bilateral wrist weakness, head pain, chest pain, foot pain, leg pain, knee pain, and neck pain are all denied.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for chondromalacia of the left knee from July 26, 2005, based on instability. A separate 10 percent rating is also assigned for limitation of motion.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected left ankle, right wrist, and right elbow disabilities were denied. The RO increased the evaluation of the left ankle disability to 20 percent in January 2004 but did not grant a higher rating. For the period between August 1, 2001 and March 6, 2005, the veteran's right wrist and elbow disabilities were rated as noncompensably disabling. Beginning March 7, 2005, they were each rated at 10 percent. The RO did not grant higher ratings for these periods.

The Board finds that the evidence does not demonstrate that the veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely due to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore, entitlement to TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current right knee disorder, right hip disorder, panic disorder with agoraphobia, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity to service. As such, these claims are denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence of record to determine the severity of his left wrist disability, and additional VCAA notice is required.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, lung disorder, hand or wrist disorder (to include bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome), and foot disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, right knee disability, left wrist injury residuals, or memory loss secondary to head trauma related to his period of service. The evidence is insufficient to establish these conditions as being incurred in service.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for Osgood-Schlatter disease of the left knee since January 1, 2001. The effective date is set at January 1, 2001.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and assigned a noncompensable rating for hypertension. The right hand and wrist disorder claim remains denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected migraine headaches and residuals of a left wrist fracture.

The Board found that the veteran's arthritis of the right shoulder, bilateral knees, hands, wrists, and hips were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claim for arthritis of the low back was remanded.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 30 percent for the veteran's residuals of a right wrist injury (carpal tunnel syndrome) and found that a higher rating is not warranted for his depressive disorder.