Wrist & hand decisions — 2011

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, and left wrist arthritis. The claim for chloracne is also reopened. However, the Board finds that additional development is needed to determine whether these conditions are related to Agent Orange exposure or other causes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet determined whether new and material evidence supports a grant of service connection.,Service connection was previously denied for anaphylactic reaction due to lack of chronic disability. The recent medical opinion suggests a possible link between current symptoms and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination to determine if his current right wrist disorder is related to service. The issue of entitlement to service connection will be reconsidered after further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability, and for consideration of any new evidence added since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of his right wrist disability was granted with a 50% rating and effective date of September 13, 2006.

The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at the maximum 100 percent since June 19, 2006. His other claims are denied.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for the Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids. The claims to reopen for COPD, burn injury of the hands, and ganglion cyst of the right wrist remain in an 'unknown' status as no new and material evidence was provided.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video-conference hearing. The remaining issues on appeal include reopening and service connection claims, as well as rating increases.

The Veteran's combined disability rating was not high enough to warrant a TDIU during the period on appeal. However, his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable due to their severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance since a year prior to the date of claim, leading to SMC at the K-1 level from July 29, 2004. After August 31, 2010, he was granted SMC at the L level based on his need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of right wrist fracture with nontender scars was denied. The claims for service connection for PTSD, bronchitis, and various other conditions were also denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for lymphatic cancer and neuropathy of the left forearm and wrist. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify his claimed exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, as well as to determine if he had any duty in the Republic of Vietnam. He also seeks service connection for neuropathy of the left forearm and wrist on a secondary basis due to his service-connected residuals of a left shoulder injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right hand carpal tunnel syndrome was incurred in service and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a current left hand disorder to support service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including formal adjudication of service connection and increased rating claims. The Veteran's claim is not yet decided.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and adjudicating his claim of service connection for a heart disorder.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable and excess of 10 percent ratings for his service-connected right and left wrist strains have been denied.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected fractured scaphoid of the left wrist, finding that the available schedular evaluations adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for her thoracolumbar spine, left ankle injury, rhinitis with sinusitis, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion or ankylosis.