Wrist & hand decisions — 2014

The Veteran's wrist arthritis and peripheral neuropathy disabilities have been rated based on their impact on range of motion, with no higher ratings warranted due to the severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's wrist disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent for each wrist under Diagnostic Codes 5214 (arthritis) and 8515 (peripheral neuropathy), which reflect mild impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist disability, chronic sinusitis, and headaches secondary to sinusitis are all related to service. The Veteran's current conditions have been established as a result of injuries sustained during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records review. The issues of rating his right wrist arthritis, right first carpometacarpal joint arthritis, external hemorrhoids, and erectile dysfunction are pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist and elbow disorders have been granted.,The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities has not been diagnosed, and therefore service connection is denied.,Service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is pending as there is no evidence showing it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, or left wrist/hand/finger disability that is etiologically related to service. However, the Veteran was found to have residuals of a fracture in his right hand that occurred during active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a cataract, right eye disorder in service or due to a service-connected condition. For the hand, wrist, foot, and left foot disabilities, the Board determined that there was no more than noncompensable limitation of motion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if her service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, melanoma, and onychomycosis were denied as these conditions are not presumed to be related to service or herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to evaluate the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, BPH, and left wrist tenosynovitis.

The Veteran's increased evaluation claims for his service-connected left wrist disability and gastroesophageal reflux disorder have been granted. The left wrist disability is rated at 20 percent, while the gastroesophageal reflux disorder is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for VA examinations and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right hand carpal tunnel syndrome and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service, resulting in denial of these claims.,For the wrist disability, a rating greater than 10 percent was denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of a right wrist fracture, as his diagnosed osteoarthritis of the right wrist was not incurred during active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and a review of the claims file. The right wrist disability claim will be evaluated based on direct evidence, while the skin cancer claim will be reviewed in light of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from the NPRC and scheduling an examination to determine the nature and etiology of any right wrist fracture or residual thereof, as well as the current severity of his service-connected left wrist fracture.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his cervical spine disorder, left knee disorder, and left wrist posttraumatic arthritic changes. The initial rating of 10 percent for the left wrist disability is maintained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for a general disorder of the joints and muscles. The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen his left knee disability claim, but denied all other claims.

The Veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities (carpal tunnel syndrome) was not found to be causally related to his service-connected hepatitis C or any other service-connected condition, and thus denied.