Wrist & hand decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance. The Board has remanded to determine if TDIU should be granted prior to May 21, 2013.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right wrist is currently rated at 10 percent, and a higher rating is not warranted.,Effective July 18, 2007, the Veteran has been granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. Effective September 17, 2013, he was granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine condition, low back pain, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for high cholesterol, low back disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and depression due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinea pedis, hypertension, PTSD, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and rectal fistula were denied. The claim for psychiatric disability was not addressed as it was presumed to be PTSD.,Service connection was not established for any of the conditions due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between the condition and service.

The Veteran's right ankle fracture, right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep disorder/insomnia and cognitive disorder due to a traumatic brain injury are all remanded for further development.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to ongoing complaints of wrist, neck, shoulder, ankle, lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, and epididymo-orchitis disorders. The case requires further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for bilateral wrist/joints condition with loss of feeling and skin rash. The COPD, hypertension, and prostate problems claims are remanded.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder is rated at 60 percent from March 7, 2014. The condition has resulted in ankylosis and loss of effective function of the left hand.

The Board denied claims to reopen service connection for right wrist arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the ankles, as well as a claim for left wrist arthritis. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion on whether his hearing loss was caused or aggravated by his service-connected psoriasis or left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for psoriatic arthritis is also remanded as it requires a new VA examination.

The Veteran's left wrist, left and right heels disabilities are rated at 10 percent each. The Board denied increased ratings for these conditions as the evidence did not show functional impairment comparable to ankylosis of the wrists or marked limitation of motion of the ankles.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his condition, including during flare-ups. The AOJ should also consider whether separate ratings are warranted based on additional diagnoses or manifestations.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's in-service complaints and diagnoses are sufficient to establish service connection.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities: left axillary nerve damage, left shoulder scar, and effective date for a left shoulder scar. The remaining issues have been denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to new and material evidence, but the issue is remanded for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records from Panama City, Florida and providing a medical opinion on the cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date and initial rating for chronic right wrist sprain, as well as service connection for right knee iliotibial band syndrome, are being remanded due to the need for additional examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA treatment records, as well as examinations to determine the existence and etiology of various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches due to an in-service head injury and secondary to service-connected vascular dementia. The Veteran's joint pain conditions are denied as not related to service or a cold injury, and the scars on his left occipital area and right eyebrow are rated at 30 percent.

The claim of service connection for hypertension is reopened and granted.,The claims of service connection for residuals of a left ankle sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome in the right wrist (to include as a result of burn scar), low back disability, right ear hearing loss, erectile dysfunction associated with prostate cancer, residuals of third degree burns on the right hand, and limitation of motion of the right wrist are not reopened.,The claim of service connection for prostate cancer is granted effective from May 29, 2013.