Wrist & hand decisions — 2014

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations. The case will be reconsidered after these are obtained.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including verifying service dates and obtaining medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders and wrist conditions are also being reviewed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and granted it. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for GERD, left wrist tendinitis, right wrist tendinitis, spurs and ununited fracture of the left ankle, spurs of the right ankle, or muscle tension headaches as they are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist, right knee, and skin disorder of the back were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a current right wrist disability, and the Veteran did not have a chronic right wrist condition during service. The Board concluded that there was no direct or presumptive service connection for his right wrist disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's left upper extremity disabilities did not have onset during his active service, were not caused by his active service, and arthritis of his left upper extremity did not manifest within one year of separation from his active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for hypertension and a TDIU. The Board has remanded the hypertension claim due to disagreement with its denial, while the TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's right wrist disability, manifested by ankylosis with limited dorsiflexion, is rated at 20% since December 10, 2010. The initial rating of 10% was maintained from September 30, 2006 to December 9, 2010 and the Veteran's current condition since May 2, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO regarding the claims to reopen service connection for a low back disability and service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for allergic rhinitis, a right wrist sebaceous cyst, and a compensable initial rating for sinusitis have been withdrawn. The Board also found that the Veteran does not currently have cellulitis or ulcerative colitis.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right wrist disability was denied. The Board found that the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the severity and symptomatology of the service-connected condition, as it is based on limitation of motion. For the right thumb disability, a remand is necessary to obtain clarification from the examiner regarding whether ankylosis of the right thumb constitutes favorable or unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral wrist fractures were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the back and neck, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and carpal tunnel syndrome are all related to his active military service. The evidence shows he was exposed to noise in service which led to his current hearing loss and tinnitus. His orthopedic conditions are also linked to his years of service due to repetitive motion injuries.

The Veteran's right wrist disability, characterized by limitation of motion without ankylosis, has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right wrist scaphoid fracture and 5th metacarpal fracture is denied. The current rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches did not have their clinical onset in service and are not otherwise related to any period of active duty or reserve service.,The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's low back disability was less likely than not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right wrist fracture with traumatic arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's syndrome, which includes hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's left wrist condition and skin condition are remanded for further examination.