Wrist & hand decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of a head injury with memory loss, neck disorder, left wrist and ankle disorders, anxiety disorder, chest disorder, seizure disorder, and gunshot wound to the left arm, were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his left wrist and right leg disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a grant of these claims.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for right index and middle finger fractures and for a right leg cyst. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Board found that the veteran's scars on his left wrist were not incurred in service and denied his claim. The issue of hepatitis C was also addressed, but a VA examination is needed to determine its etiology.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation or service connection based on secondary to his left foot plantar callosity.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the claimed conditions, including arthritis of the cervical spine and hands/wrists, a right shoulder disorder, an eye disorder (including glaucoma), bilateral hearing loss, bronchiectasis, COPD with asthma, hypertension, stomach ulcers, liver sclerosis, GERD/hiatal hernia, prostate disorder, or any other condition. The veteran's claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back strain and ganglion cyst of the right wrist are service connected, while his right knee disorder is not.

The veteran's application for nonservice connected pension benefits was granted as of June 18, 2002 due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to multiple disabilities. The effective date cannot be earlier than this date.

The veteran's residuals of a ganglion cyst of the right wrist are manifested by pain, degenerative joint disease with noncompensable limitation of motion. The VA has assigned an initial 10 percent evaluation for these symptoms.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder, dental disorder, and an initial compensable evaluation for right wrist disorder. The remaining claims of entitlement to initial compensable evaluations for HIV and skin disorder are remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome, left shoulder disability, and left knee disability. The claim for a residual disability due to renal calculi was not reopened as new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and reduction of his rating for right elbow epicondylitis/tendonitis, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and service-connected right hand/wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The decision is based on the current disability picture not meeting the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claim for an initial, compensable rating for low back strain was granted and a 10 percent rating was assigned effective September 16, 2005.,Claims for service connection for tendonitis in the right wrist, tendonitis in the left wrist, and pes planus were denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and effective dates of June 19, 2006 were assigned. The appeals for earlier effective dates are denied.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected paralysis of the left wrist, finding that it more nearly approximates moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymia with anxiety and a TDIU rating, but the effective date remains August 24, 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and increased ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities, finding that new evidence was needed to reopen the carpal tunnel syndrome claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the current severity of the veteran's service-connected left wrist disability. The claim for a combined rating, for all service-connected disabilities, higher than 60 percent, is also being remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation for various conditions, including bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, a right ankle disability, positional vertigo, gastritis, a left ankle disability, a right shoulder condition, and chronic lumbosacral strain and myositis with degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to active duty service.