Wrist & hand decisions — 2009

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right wrist fusion and periostitis of the right foot and ankle, do not render him unemployable due to their severity.

The Board denied an extraschedular evaluation for the Veteran's left wrist disability with loss of use of the left hand, finding that the evidence did not show periods of hospitalization or frequent periods of convalescence required solely due to this condition.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and records are needed to properly adjudicate the appellant's claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a medical opinion by a VA orthopedic specialist regarding his service-connected left knee and right hip disabilities. The claims will be adjudicated again once this development is completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his postoperative residuals of a left wrist fracture, maintaining the current 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of additional evidence that was not reviewed by the RO. The case will be reconsidered and a decision will be made based on all available information.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a right ankle disability or carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a fractured right fibula, with degenerative joint disease of the right ankle is granted. The claims for service connection for PTSD, malingering, hypertension, GERD, and basal cell cancer of the right cheek are denied. Service connection for arthritis of the right wrist and left wrist is also denied.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but a higher rating of 40 percent is granted effective October 29, 2008 due to fusion surgery. The Veteran's right wrist disability remains at 10 percent. The initial evaluation for the right toe bunionectomy and exostosis removal is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial or staged rating in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected status post right wrist fusion, effective September 1, 2007.

The appellant's claim for an extension of her delimiting date was denied because she did not provide sufficient evidence showing the specific dates during which her physical and mental disabilities prevented her from completing her chosen education program.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to her period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) from August 1976 to December 1976, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including providing VCAA notice and obtaining VA medical records. A new VA examination will be conducted to assess the severity of his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome, right hand.

The Board has granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to an in-service sexual assault. The right knee and right wrist conditions are not addressed as they were not part of the reopened claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU were denied as his service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for multiple sclerosis with right wrist paresthesias and right upper extremity tremors is June 9, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his unemployability is attributed to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development, including obtaining VA treatment records from May 2006 to March 2008 and scheduling a VA medical examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling a VA examination, and considering the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and an increased rating for hypertension.