Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, left hand/wrist, right hand/wrist, left elbow, and right elbow disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing their onset during service or being related to any in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so both must be addressed together.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to May 31, 2016 was denied due to the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities not meeting the schedular requirements. The Board has now remanded this issue to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist, forearm, and bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied for loss of sense of smell as there is insufficient evidence linking this condition to service.

The case is being remanded for further development, including determining if the Veteran has a dominant hand and whether his left wrist disability should be rated as a minor upper extremity disability.

The Board has remanded several claims due to non-compliance with previous directives and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hand and wrist disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the disabilities and active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist condition and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions separate from his already service-connected left cubital tunnel syndrome.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there is no evidence of its onset in service or a relationship to any injury during service.

The Board denied service connection for right wrist disability, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, and arthritis of the right wrist. The evidence did not support a finding that any current right wrist condition was related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, pancreatic disorder, left wrist disorder, and OSA are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their relationship to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 1, 2013. The decision found that the Veteran was gainfully employed and engaged in marginal employment due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for post-surgical scars of the right shoulder, left shoulder and right wrist is denied. An initial 30 percent evaluation is granted for eustachian tube dysfunction throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the claims for gout and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to inadequate opinions in the January 2020 VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the nature, etiology, and severity of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a right wrist disability and an initial rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD and depression due to inadequate examinations and need for further development.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection due to the Veteran's authorized representative requesting withdrawal of all issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder, and left carpal tunnel.

The Board has remanded the cases of carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic left ovarian cysts due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability that warrants a higher rating for left radial neuropathy, and the VA examiners did not find any direct or secondary relationship between his service-connected condition and the bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and elbow nerve disabilities.