Wrist & hand decisions — 2007

The veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including a right shoulder disability rated at 40 percent disabling. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, meeting the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The VA examinations will be scheduled to address his hypertension, right knee disability, and bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability is secondary to his service-connected knee disability, and thus grants the claim.

The VA has granted service connection for a ganglion cyst of the right wrist, but continues to assign a noncompensable rating. The veteran is seeking an initial compensable rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis/allergic rhinitis, bilateral knee disability, and migraine headaches. The claim for a compensable rating for residuals of left wrist fracture was also denied.

The veteran seeks service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including fibromyalgia. The Board has ordered additional development to address the relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The veteran's initial ratings for his right wrist and hand disabilities were denied, with the right wrist disability rated at 30 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's traumatic osteoarthritis of the left wrist did not warrant a higher evaluation, as he was already in receipt of the highest available rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board has denied all service connection claims as the evidence does not show a current disability or any link to service.

The Board denied service connection for a left hand or wrist disorder and did not reopen claims for dizziness and vertigo, as well as right hand or wrist disorders due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his current lower back disability with pinched nerves and right wrist fracture residuals are related to service. The claim for increased evaluation of the right wrist fracture residuals was denied as well.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 4, 1998, for the award of a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) because there is no evidence that she was unemployable prior to this date.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current right wrist, left shoulder, bilateral leg, or fibromyalgia disorders related to service. Therefore, the veteran's claims for these conditions are denied.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations of diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the cervical and thoracic spine was caused by his service-connected low back disability. The claim for arthritis of the left wrist is being remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether it was aggravated by the service-connected low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of his left wrist is not related to his military service, either on a direct basis or as secondary to his service-connected laceration injury affecting the same wrist. The appeal is denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for a current VA examination and retrieval of all relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that there is no current medical diagnosis of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis of the hands, and thus the veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral wrist disorder and right ankle disorder are as likely as not related to his military service, including service in the Persian Gulf region. The symptoms of arthralgias in both wrists and ankles are explained by an undiagnosed illness.