Wrist & hand decisions — 2014

The Veteran's bilateral wrist tendonitis and lumbar spine strain have been granted service connection, with the wrist condition receiving a separate rating.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to his military service. The Board found no evidence of a chronic cervical spine disorder during service, and the medical evidence does not show treatment or diagnosis of these problems until 20 years after service.,Service connection for bilateral wrist, right thumb, bilateral eye, and right knee disabilities was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist conditions and a compensable rating for heel spurs have been denied. The Board has not yet reached a decision on these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right leg numbness and tingling has been withdrawn by the Veteran during a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist ganglion and depression, secondary to a service-connected left ankle disability was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted. The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of depression at the time of his VA examination in 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are related to her military service, while her heart murmur, asthma, and CTS do not have a direct link. The reduction in rating for pes planus was upheld.

The Veteran's claim for thoracolumbar DJD is granted, but his claims for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and other conditions are denied.,Service connection was established for thoracolumbar DJD due to in-service low back pain. The Veteran's current right wrist condition is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have neuropathy of the upper extremities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, that is related to service or an incident in service. The evidence shows no chronic peripheral neuropathy during or shortly following the Veteran's separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for left wrist lunate degenerative changes is being remanded due to the need for a current VA examination and consideration of his request for a postponement of the hearing.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining more recent medical records and providing the Veteran with examinations to assess his current hearing loss, wrist disability, hypertension, foot bunions, and lumbar spine condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, diagnosed as left knee, right ankle, left ankle, bilateral hip, back, bilateral shoulder, bilateral elbow, bilateral wrist, and right knee disabilities, was aggravated beyond its natural course during his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome and tinnitus, with a noncompensable rating assigned.

The Veteran's left wrist CTS is likely the result of his active service, and the Board finds that service connection for this condition is warranted. The right hand disability claim remains pending as a new VA examination is needed to address whether it is secondary to his cervical spine disorder or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities. The claims of service connection for PTSD and traumatic brain injury are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, and the medications used to treat them, contributed substantially and materially to his death. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially and materially to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for a right wrist condition, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to deficiencies in previous VA opinions regarding the onset of hearing loss, tinnitus, and carpal tunnel syndrome during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, and knee disorders due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The Veteran's current diagnoses include diffuse arthralgias, spondylosis of the lumbar spine, fibromyalgia, and mild thoracic and lumbar degenerative disc disease.,The Board has not found a causal relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed conditions and his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the bilateral feet, knees, elbows, hands and wrists are being remanded due to potential VA treatment records. His claim for a higher rating for his left foot disability is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes are etiologically related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.