Wrist & hand decisions — 2019

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD, have rendered him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left wrist disability, and a new examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection due to inadequate VA examinations in November 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for conditions affecting the middle finger of the left hand, right wrist, left foot, and lumbar spine due to a lack of in-service medical records. The Veteran attributes these conditions to a motor vehicle accident during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been assigned an effective date of January 1, 2017, which is the day after his separation from active duty.,The Veteran has filed a claim for earlier effective dates for various service-connected conditions. The Board finds that these claims are denied as the earliest possible effective date allowed by law is January 1, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, and further examination is needed.

The Board denied service connection for right wrist and right-hand conditions, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory condition (due to asbestosis exposure), hepatitis C, deep muscle pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities as secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for unspecified depressive disorder was denied. The Board found no evidence indicating that the Veteran filed a claim prior to July 25, 2013, and thus could not assign an earlier effective date. For the TDIU issue, the Board determined that there was at least equipoise evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to February 27, 2019.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the cervical spine disability is denied. The lumbar spine and left wrist disabilities are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable evaluations for right and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as her appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include simple phobia (now consolidated under major depressive disorder with PTSD and insomnia), have been dismissed. The Veteran has also been granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 0 percent for the entire rating period. The Board has remanded to obtain additional evidence related to left wrist disability, back disability, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disability as there is no probative medical evidence of a current right wrist disability.

The Veteran's left wrist flexor tendinitis is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum available rating. The Board has remanded for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for fatigue, a left foot disability other than hallux valgus and/or plantar fasciitis with heel spur, and bilateral plantar fasciitis with heel spur.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus. The remaining issues on appeal have been remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder, an increased rating for right wrist disability in excess of 10 percent from June 7, 2012, and TDIU. The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of both wrists due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee, shin splints, right ankle, bilateral heel spurs, gastrointestinal disability, erectile dysfunction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and nerve disability of the lower legs and feet due to inadequate VA examination reports. The issues are related to service connection.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his ulcer and lung disabilities did not contribute to his death. The causes of death were attributed to aspiration pneumonia, dysphagia, and dementia.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and additional VA treatment records need to be considered.