Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions including bilateral elbow, wrist, knee disorders, a heart disorder, and a low back disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome was diagnosed during his active duty service and has continued since then. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on continuity of symptoms.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, nasal polyps, bronchitis, muscle and joint pain, erectile dysfunction, left knee condition, right knee condition, thoracolumbar spine degenerative changes, bilateral wrist condition, and bilateral elbow condition. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on several service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right hand residuals of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are related to his service-connected Lyme disease and if so, whether it is secondary.

The Board has denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left wrist ganglion cyst and has remanded her service connection claim for residuals of tubal ligation. The decision is pending further development.

The appeals for service connection for various conditions, including wrist, leg, shoulder, neck, and arm conditions, as well as congestive heart failure, have been dismissed. The appeal for residuals of a left kidney contusion has been reopened.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a left finger fracture, right dislocated sternoclavicular joint, right and left wrist disabilities, right and left ankle disabilities, bronchitis, chronic upper respiratory illness, and a rib condition. The evidence does not support current diagnoses for any of these conditions.,The Board also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, right foot condition, and left foot condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examination, and a new addendum opinion is needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist, right wrist, bilateral knee, and heart disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,The appeal is currently pending as one issue remains unresolved: service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression).

The VA denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for median mononeuropathy and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome due to a right hand carpal tunnel release surgery performed by the VA, finding that the additional disability was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board denied service connection for a right elbow and/or arm disability, left elbow and/or arm disability, right wrist disability, and hypertension.,The Veteran's disabilities were not found to be related to his active service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new evidence, submitted by the Veteran's attorney in May 2019, is relevant to his claim for service connection for left wrist verruca vulgaris and cancer. As a result, the claim will be readjudicated on its underlying merits.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the ratings for carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD, left wrist disability, adjustment disorder, and severe depression due to potential mental health conditions at the time of misconduct leading to the Veteran's discharge under other than honorable conditions. The case is also being remanded to determine if the Veteran was insane at that time.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left wrist condition, finding that it had its onset during active duty and is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, effective December 14, 2019. The condition is characterized by mild incomplete paralysis.