Wrist & hand decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and an increased rating for a left ankle disability. The Veteran is required to submit statements of the case (SOC) for some claims and must be given an opportunity to perfect his appeal.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for service connection for myositis, cervical strain (neck disability), spinal stenosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, COPD, edema, GERD, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and bronchitis have all been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was insufficient evidence of an in-service disease or injury and a current disability. The new evidence received since the November 2014 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the claims.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for the residuals of a right ankle fracture was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,His claim for service connection for a left wrist condition is granted, but remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome (left upper extremity), left elbow post-surgical scars, PTSD, right elbow disability, and right knee chondromalacia have all been denied.,No effective date has been established for any of the service-connected conditions.

Service connection for PTSD is granted.,The Veteran's left wrist disability, sleep apnea, headaches, and hypertension are remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including lower back, left arm, right arm, left wrist, right wrist, left-hand, and right-hand conditions. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of these conditions during service or within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as his claim for a higher rating for carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities. The decision also noted that TDIU was not granted prior to March 2018.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, cervical spine, wrist, hip, knee, skin condition, Gulf War syndrome, and PTSD. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information about his treatment and stressors during service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis was not etiologically related to his military service. The temporary total evaluation for surgery due to CTS was also denied.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the March 1980 or February 2009 rating decisions regarding service connection for various conditions. The claims were denied based on a lack of evidence supporting these conditions during service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's right hand ganglion cyst claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a right hand ganglion cyst or disabling residuals thereof other than the service-connected scar from the ganglion cyst in service.

The Board has denied service connection for compression of spinal cord, epididymitis, right side, and abscess on vocal cord. The remaining issues are REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's depression is granted as secondary to his service-connected wrist disability, and a 40 percent rating for the left wrist disorder is granted effective February 20, 2013. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been raised.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is granted a 50% evaluation as of February 6, 2017. The Veteran's hemorrhoids are not rated higher than noncompensable.

The Veteran was granted an initial evaluation of 50 percent for migraines, but denied evaluations in excess of the current 10 percent rating for chondromalacia patellae/patellofemoral syndrome and residuals of traumatic brain injury. The Veteran's carpal tunnel status post carpal tunnel release with cubital tunnel syndrome was granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, and wrist conditions claimed as due to exposure to hazards during the Persian Gulf War. The Veteran's joint pain is attributed to his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim for service connection for a left wrist condition was granted, and she is now entitled to service connection for this condition.,Service connection was also granted for migraine headaches, which the Board found were secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence being associated with his case and a need for additional examinations.