Wrist & hand decisions — 2012

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral wrist and knee disorders did not originate in service or as a result of service, nor may arthritis of either wrist or knee be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected left wrist ganglion cyst residuals do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful, limited motion. A separate compensable rating is granted for the tender scar on the left wrist. The right wrist ganglion cyst residuals are not compensable.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for anxiety disorder, depression, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder as well as right carpal tunnel syndrome. Further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchitis, reopening the claim and finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service illness. The other claims remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining additional medical records, scheduling VA examinations, and considering extraschedular considerations.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU remains on appeal due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding his service-connected disabilities. The RO is instructed to arrange for a VA mental disorders examination, obtain any additional evidence, and readjudicate the claim.

The Board found no evidence of a left wrist disability during service and determined that any current condition is not related to military service. The Veteran's complaints began over two decades after separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and right hand and wrist disability are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to her period of active service, including her duties as a medical specialist and dental technician.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral CTS is granted, as new and material evidence has been provided. The issue of entitlement to a rating assigned will be addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is service-connected, but the Board finds that his unexplained joint pains are at least in equipoise with service connection. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right wrist condition warrants a 10 percent evaluation, effective March 23, 2007. The evidence does not support an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the reopened claim of service connection for residuals of injury to left hand and wrist due to the appellant's failure to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions and whether they are related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right wrist disability prior to April 1, 2005 was manifested by painful wrist motion without evidence of arthritis. From April 1, 2005, the Veteran's right wrist disability is shown to have been manifested by arthritic degeneration in the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints with credible evidence of painful, limited wrist motion.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate instructions and examination for service connection of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The case must be returned for further development, including a VA neurology examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's left wrist disability did not have onset in service and was not caused or aggravated by his active military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's right wrist disability, finding that it more nearly approximates the criteria for such a rating. The claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition in either case.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right shoulder strain with degenerative arthritis, and left wrist spur were denied as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes meeting the criteria for a higher rating.