Wrist & hand decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right wrist and right shoulder disabilities, as well as service connection for a cervical spine disability, were denied by the RO. The Veteran was not granted any new evaluations or effective dates.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an evaluation higher than 10 percent for service-connected residuals of a left wrist fracture was denied. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects his disability picture, and there is no evidence showing marked interference with employment or necessitating frequent periods of hospitalization. For the claim of service connection for a back condition, the case was remanded due to inadequate opinion from the July 2007 VA medical examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current low back disability and his period of active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO provided the Veteran with multiple opportunities to submit evidence, but he failed to appear at scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a right wrist injury, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable initial disability rating for tooth damage, secondary to a gunshot wound to the face and whether combined service-connected disability rating should be determined based on addition of individual ratings rather than application of the combined ratings table under 38 C.F.R. § 4.25. The claim for a higher disability rating for residuals of fracture of right wrist was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial compensable ratings have been granted, but the specific evaluations assigned are within the scope of the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA orthopedic examination to determine whether the Veteran's current right wrist disorder was aggravated by her active military service from January 2003 to June 2003.

The Board has determined that additional development of the evidence is required before a decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and residuals of a ganglion cyst of the right wrist.

The Veteran's right wrist injury in April 2006 was deemed a medical emergency that would have been hazardous to life or health if delayed, and no VA facilities were feasibly available. Therefore, the Veteran is entitled to payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private facility.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left wrist disabilities and service connection for a right knee disability were granted. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was not addressed due to the Board's remand.

The Board denied an initial rating greater than 30 percent for the Veteran's right wrist disability, finding that the evidence did not show ankylosis of the wrist and that the schedular criteria were sufficient to reflect his disability picture.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and denied all of his claims.

The Veteran's postoperative residuals of a right wrist surgery have not resulted in ankylosis, and therefore do not warrant a higher initial evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist and left shoulder disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right ankle and knee disabilities were denied. The claim to reopen a right wrist disability was granted, but no new evaluation is assigned as the highest schedular rating has already been reached.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bladder neck obstruction, as well as his claim for service connection for bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a left inguinal herniorrhaphy with left spermatic cord lipoma was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a mass of the right testicle was denied as there is no current chronic disability and the evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for residuals of a status/post right navicular fracture remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5237-5243. The other conditions have their respective current ratings.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a left wrist disability, as well as an increased rating for neuropathy of the right radial nerve. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.