Wrist & hand decisions — 2010

The Board denied service connection for tendonitis of the right wrist and did not assign a rating for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, and the claim for this condition is granted. The claims for tinnitus, knee disabilities, wrist disabilities, shoulder disabilities, neck disability, and lower back disability are all denied.

The Veteran's right wrist arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and his right foot and left foot disabilities are each rated at 20 percent. The appeals for higher ratings have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine if there is a link between his PTSD and a specific stressor.

The Veteran's service-connected ganglion cysts of the right and left wrists with postoperative scars have been evaluated at their maximum, and no higher ratings are warranted.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss effective March 25, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist tendonitis and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective October 1, 2004. The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right wrist tendonitis is denied as the evidence does not show limitation of motion that meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5003 and 5215.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right wrist disability, hypertension, and stomach disability due to service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a left wrist disability allegedly caused by a surgical procedure in June 1989. The case has been remanded to obtain informed consent forms and to request an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the likelihood of additional disability resulting from the surgery.

The Veteran's service connection claims have been granted for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left cheek cyst excision (residuals), eczema (dry skin), and several musculoskeletal disorders. The initial evaluations assigned are all 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service-connected right wrist and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a statement of the case on his claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical post-traumatic syrinx with radiculopathy of the C7-8 nerve roots and service connection for left wrist fusion as secondary to service-connected spinal fractures.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his shell fragment wound on the right upper thigh and carpal tunnel syndrome were granted, with a 10% disability evaluation assigned for each condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to a lack of action by his representative from the Texas Veterans Commission.

The Board has vacated its February 19, 2010 decision and remanded the claims for service connection for left thumb and left wrist disabilities due to additional argument received from the Veteran that was not previously considered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected spine disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist disability, right hip disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for depression was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. His claim of entitlement to service connection for left hip disability was reopened based on new evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities with history of neuropathy.