Wrist & hand decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to an inadequate VA examination, and to provide a new opinion on the nature and etiology of any right hand disability.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disability and seasonal allergies, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that resulted in current disabilities.,Service connection was also dismissed for high cholesterol as the Veteran withdrew his claim after certification to the Board.

The Veteran's increased ratings claims have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's postoperative residuals from the March 23, 2011 right wrist fusion surgery required continued convalescence for at least six months and his temporary total disability rating was extended through September 30, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining records from Vocational Rehabilitation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, COPD, carpal tunnel syndromes, and kidney failure. The evidence submitted since the final decisions raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist burn scar is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right wrist burn scar issue remains pending as it requires a new examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper notice of TDIU claims.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, effective from the date of the claim. The Veteran's hypertension is related to her service-connected PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability for the back or CTS since service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied service connection for a left wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his service-connected ganglion cyst and is more likely due to an injury after service.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a right Achilles tendon injury and reopened the claim for service connection for a left wrist disability. The Veteran's right ankle disability is considered to be related to his inservice injury, while the left wrist disability may also be linked to an in-service injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right wrist pain is presumed to be related to his service in Southwest Asia and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is considered a subsequent manifestation of his already service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with osteoarthritis.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain relevant SSA records, clarify the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions, and schedule the Veteran for an examination by a qualified medical professional.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for further examinations and opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left hip, left knee, and left wrist disorders.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, hip and knee conditions, ankle, wrist, plantar fasciitis, and migraine headaches have been granted. The claim for psychiatric disability was denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right wrist, left shoulder, and right knee disabilities have been granted. The right wrist is rated at 50 percent since September 25, 2014; the left shoulder is rated at 30 percent since September 25, 2014; and the right knee is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left wrist disability, including osteoarthritis and fracture dislocation of navicular, is not related to his service. The in-service injury was noted but did not show a fracture on x-ray at the time. The subsequent March 1970 injury was considered new.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations in excess of 10 percent for left wrist tendonitis and 20 percent for residuals of left elbow fracture with posttraumatic ulnar neuropathy have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of representation.