Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Veteran's left wrist disability is rated at 10 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.,PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to January 21, 2020, and this rating has also been denied. The TBI was also rated at 10 percent prior to January 21, 2020, and the appeal for a higher rating on this issue is also denied.,The Veteran's claim for Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) has been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, rotator cuff tear of the right shoulder, right hand and wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and left hand and wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The disabilities are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, and both upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes as the evidence did not establish a link to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to service or any incident in service, including asbestos exposure. The Board found that the Veteran’s CTS is more likely related to post-service work as a mechanic.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as left and right carpal tunnel syndromes. The Board found that the Veteran's current knee and wrist conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence, specifically surgical records from February 2020 related to left shoulder surgery. The Veteran must provide authorization and VA will attempt to obtain these records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting a VA examination. The Veteran's current hip disability is not service-connected as it did not have its onset in service or within one year of separation from active duty.

Service connection for Lyme disease, GERD, bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes, left wrist CTS with cervical radiculopathy, and right wrist CTS is denied.,An initial compensable rating (10%) for GERD is denied. The Veteran's GERD has been well-managed with medication.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, right foot disability, sleep apnea, headaches, lumbosacral spine disability, wrist disabilities, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service experiences are considered credible, but further medical examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for various joint disabilities. The case is being returned to the RO for further examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to conflicting evidence of the Veteran's employment throughout the appeal period and the need for a VA Form 21-8940, Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability. The AOJ should refer his claim for a TDIU issue to the Director of Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to his inability to demonstrate permanent and total disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened and granted effective October 6, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a psychosexual disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied. The claims of entitlement to service connection for left wrist disability and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, left wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hip, left hip, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all available records from the Veteran’s National Guard service, particularly those from 2014 through his retirement in March 2018.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders and peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities (claimed as bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's claims were based on his contention that his shoulder pain and CTS are secondary to his service-connected foot, knee, and back conditions and/or the use of assistive devices for such.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and left wrist disability, finding that there was no evidence of persistent bleeding or secondary anemia for the hemorrhoids, and no ankylosis in the left wrist.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on his left shoulder disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of more than 20 percent impairment, as the Veteran’s arm motion was limited to around 80 degrees from side to shoulder level. For the right shoulder and neck disabilities, the case is remanded for further examination and opinion. Service connection for hand and arm disabilities remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left hand, a left hand ganglion cyst, and a left wrist disability as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development due to issues regarding service connection and increased rating of her right wrist disability.