Wrist & hand decisions — 2010

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, coupled with his educational background and work experience, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of left or right wrist disorders, and therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for the postoperative residuals of a right wrist fracture was denied. The claim for a total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's claimed disabilities to her service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist sprain with degenerative arthritis, denied service connection for right foot and left foot arthritis, and continued noncompensable disability ratings for right ear hearing loss and right shoulder lipoma excision scar.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the wrists and knees, as well as GERD, have been denied. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities, erectile dysfunction, a lung disability, and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The appellant's claims were not supported by sufficient evidence or medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for residuals of a right wrist fracture and pulmonary tuberculosis was denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, abdominal scar post-Caesarian section, and right wrist tendonitis. The Veteran was granted service connection for these conditions but denied an initial compensable evaluation for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand and wrist has been withdrawn.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a right hand injury, finding that the new evidence submitted does not relate to an unestablished fact or raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied service connection for low back and right wrist disabilities, finding that the character of discharge from active duty in 1988-1991 was a bar to VA benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand carpal tunnel syndrome was not incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, right wrist disability, and left ankle disability. The Board finds that the evidence supports a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his laceration scar on the dorsum of the left hand and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation or an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left hands/wrists were denied as there is no evidence showing moderate or severe incomplete paralysis, respectively.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than bipolar disorder (to include PTSD) has been granted. The remaining issues have been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The claims of entitlement to service connection for heart disease and emphysema have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hand disorder other than carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were denied by the RO. The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.