Wrist & hand decisions — 2008

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes cavus and denied higher initial ratings for lumbar spine strain, left hand fifth finger fracture, right ear hearing loss, left wrist condition, left knee condition, left ankle condition, and exercise induced bronchospasm.

The veteran's service-connected left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, healed rotator cuff tear right shoulder with residuals of subacromial bursitis, and arthritis thoracolumbar spine (claimed as degenerative disc disease lumbar spine with left side radiculopathy) do not warrant ratings in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right wrist and index finger disabilities, as well as service connection for residuals of a head injury.

The veteran is entitled to a higher 30 percent rating for his imbalance and dizziness, but no greater. He is not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the veteran's claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for DeQuervain's tendonitis of the right thumb with tensynovitis of the right hand and wrist, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the condition and his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings for rectal fissure with hemorrhoids, right shoulder tendonitis, left wrist fracture residuals, and right ankle disorder.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, peptic ulcer disease, diverticulitis/diverticulosis, intervertebral disc syndrome, arthritis of the wrists and hands, bilateral hip and knee disabilities, post-operative muscle weakness and herniation, and a left ankle disability as there was no evidence relating their onset to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding no evidence of a nexus between his claimed conditions and military service or aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

The Board granted service connection for tendonitis of the right shoulder and hand, as these conditions are attributed to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted increased disability ratings of 10 percent for the veteran's service-connected left knee, right knee, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral fusion, contracture of fascia left thigh vastus externus with spasm in relaxed position, and arthralgia and weakness of the left wrist. The RO will continue to rate these conditions under their current diagnostic codes.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of higher initial evaluations for various service-connected conditions are also pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right wrist disability, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating than the current 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD, fibromyalgia, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and carpal tunnel syndrome, right. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and that the veteran did not have a link between his current psychiatric disability and his service.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence of a current disability for any of the veteran's claimed conditions, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back pain with herniated disc and carpal tunnel syndrome were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive disorder (memory loss), recurrent joint discomfort, tension headaches, and skin disorders, were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these disabilities to his period of active military service or the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran does not have peripheral neuropathy or carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities that are related to his military service. His claim for TDIU is pending as he has other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disorder, right femoral fracture residuals, right distal forearm fracture residuals, and left wrist fracture residuals as secondary to service-connected sciatic neuritis, left.