Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist ganglion cyst and right hip disorder due to inconsistencies in the VA examination report and the need to address whether the conditions are related to active duty service or undiagnosed illnesses.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including bilateral eye disability and shoulder disabilities, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The earliest post-service records of the claimed disabilities are over four decades after discharge from active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for a separate compensable evaluation for neurologic residuals of a fracture of the fourth finger of the right hand and service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to his service-connected condition were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's sleep apnea disability is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or a relationship to an in-service injury.,The right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is not considered secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine, chronic right shoulder, and/or lumbar spine disabilities. The examiner found these conditions are anatomically distinct.,Bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as the average pure tone threshold in both ears is below 25 decibels at 1000 Hertz and above 70 decibels at 2000 Hertz, resulting in Level I ratings in both ears.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent as his forward flexion is greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees. The examiner found no evidence of aggravation by other service-connected conditions.,A 20 percent disability rating for right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy beginning June 29, 2009 and a 20 percent disability rating for left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy beginning June 29, 2009 are granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist disabilities due to conflicting medical evidence and a need for an addendum opinion. The issues are whether his current diagnoses of wrist tendonitis, radial tunnel syndrome, arthralgia, and scapholunate are related to his active service or if they were caused by his service-connected elbow disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examination opinions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional information, including personnel records and addendum opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements about symptom onset.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected arthritis of the left wrist, finding that the evidence did not support an increase to this level.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular rating requirements for a TDIU prior to December 20, 2017. The Board found that he was actually working at that time and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right upper extremity disability, including his hand and wrist conditions. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's headaches and wrist disabilities are not service-connected due to lack of in-service onset or continuity, and the Board finds no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected right knee, right foot, and right wrist disabilities were denied. The medical evidence did not support higher ratings based on the severity of her symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart murmur, diabetes mellitus type II, right wrist condition, left knee neuropathy, right knee neuropathy, left leg neuropathy, and right leg neuropathy. The decision is based on the lack of evidence showing a direct relationship to service or secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted ratings of 60% and 40%, respectively. The case has been remanded for further development regarding service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's ankle and wrist disabilities have been granted initial evaluations of 20 percent for the left ankle, right ankle, left wrist, and right wrist. The need for regular aid and attendance has also been established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the submission of new medical evidence since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The issues include service connection for various foot, ankle, back, wrist, skin, and shoulder conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for a sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for a left wrist disability, including De Quervain's tenosynovitis. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or information regarding his claims.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral upper extremities, is granted service connection. The claim for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remains pending and requires additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral wrist, right ankle, and right foot conditions, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood these conditions are related to his active duty service.