Wrist & hand decisions — 2010

The Board granted an increased evaluation of 20 percent for the Veteran's right and left wrist fracture residuals, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected perforated left eardrum, fractures of the 4th and 5th metacarpals of the right hand, and right wrist fracture with arthritis have been denied. The maximum available ratings under VA's rating schedule are already assigned.

The Veteran claims service connection for arthritis of the elbows, wrists, fingers and hips as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disabilities. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's headaches have not been productive of at least characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average of once a month over the last several months.,The Veteran is receiving the maximum schedular ratings for limitation of motion of the wrists.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for sinusitis, left wrist disability, and low back disability. As such, these claims remain denied.

The Board granted an increased rating to 10 percent for the service-connected residuals of a right wrist fracture with traumatic arthritis and also granted a separate 10 percent rating for malunion of the distal radius. The Veteran's disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, lung condition, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), right shoulder arthritis, left hand arthritis, bilateral wrist arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, and bilateral hip arthritis have been denied. The denial is based on the lack of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's August 29, 2005 statement constitutes an informal claim for service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome. As a result, the effective date for the grant of service connection is set at August 31, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral foot disorder, and damage to the eyes. The Veteran's claims were evaluated based on direct evidence of a relationship between his current conditions and active duty service.

The appellant withdrew his appeal regarding the issues of service connection for residuals of a right wrist injury, residuals of a left wrist injury and residuals of a right knee injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is likely due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board also found that the service-connected diabetes mellitus did not cause or aggravate the residuals of a left wrist fracture, status post left wrist fusion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete records and need for proper notice of how to substantiate a claim for service connection based on aggravation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.306.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent and the effective date for this rating is April 30, 2002. The Veteran's left ulnar nerve injury of the wrist is service connected as secondary to his service-connected shell fragment wound of the left hand. Service connection for a cervical spine/neck disability is not granted due to lack of evidence linking it to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for his left knee disability and right wrist injury were denied. The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating for the left knee disability from February 3, 2006 to March 31, 2007, with a subsequent 30 percent evaluation effective April 1, 2007.

The Veteran's attempts to establish service connection for various conditions were generally denied by the RO, with some exceptions regarding reopening of a claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder and continued denial of others. The Board noted that new evidence had been received to reopen this specific claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left wrist (nondominant) shell fragment wound with retained foreign body is granted, effective October 5, 2004.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative joint disease of the knees and shoulders, and stomach disorder on secondary basis to a service-connected spine disorder. The Veteran's current disorders are not related to his service-connected spine disorder.

The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome has been rated at a 10 percent disability rating since August 1, 2004.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for post-traumatic right (major) wrist derangement prior to September 22, 2009 was denied. The claim for an effective date earlier than September 22, 2009 for service connection of a bilateral shoulder disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD, schizophrenia or inadequate personality with depressive reaction was denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim. Service connection for PTSD, CTS of the right wrist, and CTS of the left wrist were also denied.