Wrist & hand decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a VA examination to determine if his left wrist disorder is related to service. The Veteran claims he injured his wrist in 1959 during service, but there are conflicting medical records and no definitive evidence of an old injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome with ulnar neuropathy, as well as his requests for earlier effective dates and TDIU. The disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 18, 2006, and at 30 percent beginning that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for a bilateral ankle disability. The remaining conditions are associated with fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case for further consideration of whether extraschedular evaluations are warranted for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the left and right wrists, considering the entire period of appeal.

The Veteran's right wrist disorder is presumed to have been incurred in service as it existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service.,There is no current diagnosis of a deviated nasal septum or chronic allergies.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral wrist disorders, including carpal tunnel syndrome and left elbow disorders are granted. The Veteran also has been diagnosed with PTSD and his claim is granted on this basis. Service connection is denied for liver disorder and TBI residuals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hysterectomy residuals, left wrist arthritis, and left shoulder arthritis. The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right wrist DJD was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may a chronic disorder be presumed to have been so incurred. The Veteran's PTSD is as likely as not related to his period of service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various joint disorders, including arthritis of the shoulders, wrists, hands, knees, and ankles. The Board has determined that further investigation into his pre-existing conditions during military service is necessary.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be incurred in active service, resulting in a grant of service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome is currently rated at 50 percent effective January 2, 2014. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and adjudication, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left wrist fracture and right wrist disorders.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for clarification of the medical opinions provided in September 2014. The Veteran's right wrist, hip, and testicle disabilities are still under review.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral CTS is not related to service or a service-connected condition, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and worker's compensation records. A new VA examination will be conducted to determine the etiology of any current right wrist/hand disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, arthritis of neck and right wrist, back disorder, left ear disorder, and right ear disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining more recent VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected right thumb disability and his carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right wrist and right knee conditions were permanently aggravated by active service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right CTS was granted an initial rating of 30 percent effective from November 1, 2006.