Wrist & hand decisions — 2008

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as his injury was a result of willful misconduct.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of cervical dysplasia and bilateral wrist repetitive use tendonitis.

The Board found that the veteran's right wrist condition with arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and denied his claim for service connection. For his left wrist arthritis, while there is current disability, the evidence does not establish a nexus to service, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board denied service connection for nerve damage, left ulnar neuropathy, anxiety, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II, as these conditions are not shown to be related to the veteran's active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left wrist and left knee disabilities are not related to or aggravated by his service-connected right hand/wrist and right knee disabilities, respectively.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residual scarring of the left wrist does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating, and thus denied her claim.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral wrist injury, nose disability, neck disability, and back disability due to a lack of competent evidence of current disabilities or a nexus between any claimed conditions and active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle disorder, including osteoarthritis, is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's right wrist injury with arthritis does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating and restoration of a previously reduced rating for his left wrist disability, finding that he was already receiving the highest available evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right wrist injury and residuals of a left wrist injury, finding that there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within one year after discharge, and that any current wrist disabilities are not related to service.

The VA denied higher ratings for tendonitis of the right hand and wrist, with degenerative changes at the first digit carpal metacarpal joint, and for degenerative changes of the left first digit carpal metacarpal joint.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to her service and therefore denied her claims for service connection.

The veteran's initial rating for left wrist ganglion cyst excision is denied, and service connection for a right wrist disorder and neck or back disorder are both denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete development of his claims, including the need for additional VA outpatient treatment records and a more detailed examination of his spine.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for ankylosis of the left wrist and has reopened the claim for service connection for duodenal ulcer, finding that new evidence supports reopening the claim. The veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for his left wrist disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder and left wrist disabilities were not incurred in service or related to any service-connected disability. The temporary total convalescent rating claim is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right ankle sprain, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The veteran's claim for these conditions is remanded to obtain additional evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for iritis and inguinal adenopathy, as well as his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist tenosynovitis, were all denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support these claims.