Wrist & hand decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left wrist condition, right hip condition, bilateral hearing loss, and low sex drive have all been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or functional impairment.,There are no diagnosed conditions related to the claimed issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a failure to schedule VA examinations. The issues include cervical spine, right ankle, respiratory disability (undiagnosed illness), and left wrist cyst.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for several shoulder and elbow disabilities, as well as carpal tunnel syndromes. The Board is dismissing these issues.

The Board has denied an initial compensable rating for hypertension. The claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction, left knee disability, and left wrist strain are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's chronic left wrist sprain. The claim will be reviewed again with additional evidence and a new medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate rationale in a VA addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral wrist tendonitis and its relation to service.

The Board has remanded the remaining issues on appeal due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's depression, sleep apnea, left and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes have been granted service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis of her bilateral wrists and hands due to inadequate examinations in determining the severity of her conditions.

The Board denied service connection for morbid obesity, including as due to service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine. The claim for ulnar neuropathy of the right wrist and rating for lumbosacral spine disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in not considering the Veteran's statement that he had sought treatment for hand pain during service, which was consistent with his MOS as a Storekeeper. The claim is now remanded for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s CTS of the hands.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disorder and a right knee disorder as there is no evidence of current disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome on an extraschedular basis, finding that each condition is already adequately addressed by the current schedular ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left wrist disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current degenerative joint disease to his active service. The Board also remanded the issue of secondary service connection for back disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the listed conditions have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in January 2017.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including bladder disability, psychiatric disorders (including PTSD and depression), sleep apnea, varicose veins, liver damage, erectile dysfunction, bicep disabilities, knee disabilities, ankle disabilities, low back disability, scar and numbness of the back, right wrist disability, missing tooth disability, eye disability (chronic conjunctivitis), bronchitis, and asthma. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the death of the Veteran's widow, as her appeal is no longer in a jurisdictional state.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right wrist disability, back condition, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and skin disorder (including dermatitis and urticaria) due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist injury began in service and granted service connection for residuals of a right wrist injury.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions of hypertension, Sjogren’s syndrome, bilateral hip disability, neck disability, back disability, asthma, bilateral CTS, left knee disorder, and seizures are all granted. The claims for a bilateral shoulder disability, IBS, and TMJ syndrome have been denied.