Wrist & hand decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist disability is adequately rated under the schedular criteria, and an extraschedular rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder impingement, bilateral wrist condition, and right hand ganglion cyst removal residuals.,A compensable rating of 10% is assigned for the service-connected herpes simplex.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral CTS and determined that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by military service, warranting a grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a left wrist scar, finding that the Veteran's current left wrist scar is related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a left hand disorder remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for dermatitis, finding that the Veteran's skin condition had onset during active service. The Board denied service connection for low back disorder and sinusitis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. Service connection was also denied for left carpal tunnel syndrome as there is no evidence showing it began in service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding a disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected left wrist fusion and a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected degenerative changes of the left ilium.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bronchitis related to her service. The claims for increased ratings for left wrist degenerative joint disease, cubital syndrome of the left wrist, and gastritis and GERD with IBS are denied as there is no evidence of current disability or aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left hand and wrist disabilities are directly related to his service, as evidenced by an in-service cold weather injury. Therefore, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The claim for TDIU is also held in abeyance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of left wrist, right ankle, or sciatica due to service. The evidence does not support a finding of a qualifying chronic disability for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting further examinations.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and evidence are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of his bilateral wrist condition, back disability, and lung disability. The issues include determining whether these conditions are related to service or other factors.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and medical records related to the Veteran's hearing loss. The claims for service connection are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are being remanded due to inadequate examination in May 2007. A new VA compensation examination is needed to consider all theories of entitlement, including direct, secondary, and presumptive service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected fracture of the right index finger. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is found to be service-connected due to its onset during his military service.,The Veteran's headache disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disc disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist disorder and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a current diagnosis of a left wrist strain. The Board also found that there is sufficient medical evidence to support secondary service connection for the cervical spine disorder causing radicular symptoms in the left wrist.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a chronic disability of the hands and wrists to include carpal tunnel syndrome and de Quervain's syndrome that is causally or etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has determined that a chronic left wrist disability was not manifest during active service and is not shown by the evidence of record. The Veteran's current left wrist symptoms are attributed to an injury unrelated to his military service.