Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection due to the granting of these conditions in a previous rating decision. The TDIU claim was granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hand condition is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to service.,Service connection for a disability characterized as muscle pain is also denied, as there is no medical evidence of such a condition during or after service.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and low back condition due to insufficient development in previous opinions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his low back condition remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection and Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's left arm disorders are currently diagnosed, but the VA examiner did not provide a clear opinion on whether these conditions are related to his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examination and opinion regarding service connection for a bilateral upper extremity peripheral nerve condition, including as due to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's claims are related to his reported numbness in service.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were denied as they are not related to service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left or right knee disorder, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.,Regarding headaches, the Board has also determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish whether the Veteran's headache symptoms are separate from her service-connected TMJ syndrome. The appeal as to this issue is remanded.

The Veteran's heart palpitations/heart murmur and bilateral wrist disorder are granted service connection. Headaches, tooth/dental disorder, and bilateral knee disorder remain unresolved.,Service connection for bilateral wrist disorder is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease. Service connection for headaches, tooth/dental disorder, and bilateral knee disorder remains pending.,The Veteran's headaches are remanded as the VA examination did not provide an opinion on their etiology. The service connection for tooth/dental disorder and bilateral knee disorder also need further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Upstate University Hospital on October 29, 2002. The services were not considered emergency treatment and did not meet the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and carpal tunnel syndrome have been denied. The claim for an effective date prior to May 21, 2013 for diabetes mellitus type 2 has also been denied.,Service connection was not granted for carpal tunnel syndrome in either upper extremity due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right and left ankle conditions, including pain, medical treatment, corresponding functional impairment and flare-ups, are rated at 20 percent. Service connection for pes planus is granted. The Veteran's claims for big toe joint pain and swelling on feet, PTSD, and left wrist condition are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, left and right knee degenerative arthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 25, 2019. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine.

The Board has found the Veteran's report of an in-service injury to his left wrist credible and remands for a new VA examination to determine if it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current left wrist disability is related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral disc with posterior and lateral protrusion, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and surgical removal of osteochondroma left wrist with residual cubital tunnel syndrome, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As a result, the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist arthritis and remanded the issues of service connection for left elbow and shoulder disabilities due to a fall during active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist and left knee disorders due to incomplete development of records, inadequate medical opinions, and conflicting lay statements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left wrist condition, finding that there is no evidence to support his assertion that he sustained a fracture during service and that his current wrist condition is not related to his in-service injury.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral wrist/arm disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and cervical spine disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Additional development is needed for the Veteran's claim regarding bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist and hand disability, as well as her claim for bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete development of records.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating available.,Left wrist osteoarthritis has been granted service connection.

The Board denied service connection for back disorder, right wrist disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and deviated septum as there is no evidence of their onset or aggravation during active duty.