Wrist & hand decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for joint pain of the shoulders, elbows, and left wrist. The Board found that the veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service or an undiagnosed illness incurred during his service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left wrist disability originated in service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical nexus opinion regarding whether the veteran's current median neuropathy is related to his service-connected frostbite.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of an injury to the left wrist with motor weakness, finding that the evidence did not show symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and a bilateral wrist disorder, as well as his requests for increased ratings for asthma and lumbosacral spondylosis and lumbar myositis. The decision also noted that the October 2001 RO decision denying service connection for a bilateral wrist disorder is final.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left wrist disability is not related to his active service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran seeks an increased rating for his service-connected right wrist/hand/fingers disability, which has worsened since the last examination in January 2003. The Board has ordered a new C&P examination to assess the current severity of the condition.

The veteran's service-connected conditions were evaluated at the 10 percent level for most of the appeal period, with some exceptions. The Board denied higher evaluations for various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, right knee synovitis, and chronic pain in the left and low back knees due to an undiagnosed illness arising from the veteran's service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right wrist limitation of motion, left wrist limitation of motion, and residuals of a left elbow fracture with post-traumatic osteoarthritis. The current ratings are 10 percent each.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral wrist pain and bilateral ankle pain, finding no current diagnosed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied as they do not meet the legal criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's neck disorder and right hand disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current right wrist disorder or left ankle disorder related to service. The veteran's depression claim will be addressed in the REMAND portion.

Service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral wrists was denied as there is no medical evidence that it is related to military service.,Service connection for a right knee disorder was denied due to lack of current diagnosis in the medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, right knee disability (claimed as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability), carpal tunnel syndrome, and psychiatric disability.

The veteran is granted an initial disability evaluation of 20 percent for CTS of the right wrist prior to January 31, 2006 and a rating of 40 percent as of that date.,Service connection was also established for DJD of the cervical spine with an initial rating of 20 percent effective January 31, 2006.

The veteran's left ear hearing loss was not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence of a current disability.,For the right wrist cyst, the veteran does not meet criteria for an increased rating as there is no significant functional impairment or limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left hand and wrist neuropathy condition is etiologically related to his period of service, granting him service connection for this disability.