Wrist & hand decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis due to new evidence. The Veteran is also being asked to provide updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder calcific tendinitis and impingement syndrome was denied. The Board also remanded the claims for carpal tunnel syndrome, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a gastrointestinal disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right wrist disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between his current condition and his military service.

Service connection is granted for left foot pes planus, but service connection and rating are denied for ear infections, cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands, feet, and ears, headaches, and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome. An effective date prior to February 1, 2016, for TBI residuals is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ring or little finger disability, right wrist disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The increased rating claims for left knee strain and right knee strain were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for the left ankle disability is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left third and fourth fingers, right ankle, low back disability, left shin scar, PTSD, bilateral knee disabilities, stress fracture of the left tibia, right shoulder disability (prior to April 21, 2014), right clavicle disability, and right wrist disability have been denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection of right fifth finger disability are also denied.,The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for low back disability, left shin scar, and PTSD as there is no case or controversy with respect to these issues.

The appeal regarding the right wrist condition is dismissed. The claim for service connection of erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, left wrist disability, and left ankle disability due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is rated at 10 percent, but no higher. The bilateral pes planus with arthritis and heel spurs was granted a 10 percent rating prior to December 17, 2014, and denied any increase thereafter. Bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure is granted. The effective date of the grant is August 13, 2018. The claims for earlier effective dates for end stage renal disease, left wrist disability, and left knee injury with limitation of extension are also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disability, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current condition and his in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran had early-onset peripheral neuropathy (carpal tunnel syndrome) within one year of his last presumed exposure.,Service connection was also denied for a compensable rating for post-operative rectal condyloma. The condition is considered healed or slight without leakage.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of pseudofolliculitis barbae and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for additional examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist strain, finding that it is related to his military duties.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, as it was cumulative or redundant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition had its onset in active service or within one year thereafter, or is otherwise causally related to active service.