Wrist & hand decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing at the Cleveland, Ohio RO due to the Veteran's request.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability, claimed as a sprain, was denied because there is no current diagnosis of a right wrist disability.

The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that these conditions alone render him unemployable.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of motion, and a separate 20 percent rating has been granted for mild incomplete paralysis of the radial and median nerves.,The Veteran's service-connected right wrist fracture resulted in both functional impairment due to pain and weakness as well as neurological symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hand condition, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, is being remanded for further examination and etiological opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for a right wrist disability. The new evidence submitted does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of a right hand injury with carpal tunnel syndrome and traumatic arthritis was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and requires further development, including a new opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome with trigger fingers.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral ankle disability, right shoulder disability, and left foot disability have been denied as there is no competent evidence of current disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right wrist disability began during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for right ankle, left wrist, and right wrist disabilities. The initial evaluations for TMJ dysfunction were also denied.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including scheduling an EMG and nerve conduction test of the Veteran's left wrist. The Veteran is advised that failure to attend this examination may result in denial of her claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for aching joints, finding that his current condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates was denied as his application for benefits was received by VA on January 18, 2007, which is the date he contacted the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) office. The one-year deadline for filing a claim after separation from service has expired.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome, including consideration of his military service and any exposure to 'PCB' in December 1983. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a left hip disorder and granted it. The Veteran's right hip disability is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under the provision of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 were granted, with the exception that his claim for cervical strain was denied.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations related to his service-connected disabilities. The Board has ordered additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying the application of certain regulations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly evaluate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records from March 2009 through the present, scheduling a VA examination for post-operative carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, and adjudicating the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were also on appeal but the Veteran indicated he no longer wished to continue these appeals in his August 2008 substantive appeal.