Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neurological disability, specifically carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his low back disability, bilateral hip disabilities, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. The claims will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability and right CTS, finding that the Veteran's Reserve service duties aggravated her pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep disorder, eye disorder, arthritis of the cervical spine, right knee, hands, elbows, and right shoulder, as well as urinary problems, are being remanded due to insufficient examination opinions addressing prior findings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 2, 2014. The decision is pending further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disorder, bilateral shoulder bursitis, and hemorrhoids due to incomplete examination reports and missing VA treatment records. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical evidence and complete examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for reopening of previous final denials of service connection for various conditions, including endometriosis, hysterectomy, elbow and hip conditions, lupus, skin condition, wrist conditions, hair loss, joint pain, shoulder condition, neurological disorder, vision condition, upper respiratory condition, memory loss, and fatigue. The Board also remanded the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection for diarrhea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the extent of his right elbow disability, including flare-ups, and whether his right hand and wrist arthritis are aggravated by his service-connected right elbow arthralgia.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist and hand disorders due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, which have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 1, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examiner's opinion and potential bias. The Veteran’s bilateral upper extremity arthritis is being reviewed for service connection, along with carpal tunnel syndrome and right ulnar neuropathy/cubital tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was granted with an effective date of January 29, 2013. This decision is based on the underlying increased rating claims for wrist and neck disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus, left wrist disability, sinusitis, residuals of umbilical hernia repair, DM, asthma, OSA and hypertension have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.,The Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis has been rated at 10 percent since November 2007. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested to withdraw all remaining issues on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist osteoarthritis, right hand strain, and a right upper extremity neurological disability (carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy) as these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, left hand and wrist disorder, and right hand and wrist disorder are all granted. The issues of service connection for hypertension and bilateral hand and wrist disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection was withdrawn. Service connection is granted for left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis of the left index finger, and recurrent prostatitis.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to clarify whether the Veteran's diabetes may have aggravated his carpal tunnel syndrome or any other upper neurologic condition, and to determine if he has a diagnosis of neuropathy of the upper extremities related to his service-connected diabetes.