Wrist & hand decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, tension headaches status post traumatic brain injury, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and left wrist disability.

The Veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right wrist is currently rated at 10 percent and no higher, as there is non-compensable limitation of motion and x-ray evidence of arthritis. The Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating based on ankylosis or other diagnostic codes.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, right wrist disorder, and back disorder due to new evidence submitted since the October 2006 rating decision. The claims for right wrist disorder and back disorder remain denied as they do not meet the criteria for reopening.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted. His bilateral hearing loss was found to be related to his military service, rheumatoid arthritis and steroid acne are considered as resulting from or aggravated by his service-connected conditions, and the low back disability is rated higher than initially assigned.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issue may be affected by the outcome of his diabetes mellitus, type II, service connection claim.

The Board has determined that there is a need to verify the Veteran's service dates and obtain his complete service personnel records. Additionally, the Veteran needs to be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a left wrist disability. The case is being remanded to provide another VA examination and address the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee and wrist disabilities began during service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claim for service connection and basic eligibility for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to his imprisonment at a state penal institution since 1987.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist is not service-connected, and his claim for an increased rating for traumatic severance of the right wrist flexor and median and ulnar nerves with carpal tunnel syndrome was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his employment difficulties are attributed to non-service-connected factors and he does not meet the schedular requirements for a total rating.

The Board has determined that the original grant of service connection for the Veteran's disabilities was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus restoring the previously severed benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA neurology examination to determine if any current disability of the upper extremities is related to the service-connected cervical or lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for left wrist disability allegedly resulting from a cortisone shot administered in 1996 at a VA facility. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and to provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's increased pain following the injection resulted from carelessness, negligence, or other fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's application for an extension of his delimiting date was denied because the evidence did not establish that he was medically prevented from initiating or completing his educational program at any time prior to January 1, 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is at least as likely as not incurred in service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right elbow, left elbow tendinitis, right shoulder bursitis, left shoulder disability, bilateral knee chondromalacia, bilateral wrist disability, right ankle disability, left ankle tendinitis, and low back disability have all been granted.

The Board found no current diagnoses for the claimed right foot, right wrist, heavy sweating, and bumps on back disorders. The Veteran's service treatment records were negative for any such conditions. As a result, the claims for these disorders were denied.