Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral elbow disabilities, bilateral wrist disabilities, and bilateral hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions on several service connection issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist scar, bilateral hand carpal tunnel syndrome, and tinnitus are denied as there was no prior claim or entitlement to these conditions prior to January 24, 2018. The effective date is set at the date of claim, January 24, 2018.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy have been reopened.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea have also been reopened.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist condition was denied, and the appeal is dismissed.,Service connection for a back condition has been reopened due to new evidence. The Board found that the Veteran’s back condition was aggravated by his service-connected knee disability.,Service connection for psoriasis has been granted as it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his right knee disability and psychiatric conditions.,The claim for service connection for arthritis (secondary to right knee disability) is remanded. The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if the arthritis is a progression of the service-connected right knee condition.,Service connection for a psychiatric condition (depression) has been granted as it is at least as likely as not aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his right knee disability and psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability prior to the date of receipt of the claim.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than September 13, 2015 for the assignment of a 60 percent rating for gout of both big toes, right-hand carpal tunnel syndrome, and left-hand carpal tunnel syndrome were denied as there was no clinical evidence of significant incapacitation prior to that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he can still perform duties other than heavy equipment operator.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left wrist disability, surgical scar on the left wrist, and right inguinal hernia status post-Bassini repair. The evidence did not support higher ratings as there was no ankylosis of the left wrist or recurrent hernias during the appeal period.

The Veteran's initial ratings for DeQuervain's tendonitis of the left and right wrists, as well as her initial compensable rating for a left wrist ganglion cyst, are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. A new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development, including a request for information from the Joint Services Records Research Center and an opinion from a neurologist regarding the Veteran's left arm disability.

The Veteran's left wrist disability, characterized by painful motion and weakness, is rated at a 10 percent since October 20, 1975 to April 8, 2010.

The Veteran's combined disability rating has been at least 80 percent since February 23, 2007. Despite having multiple part-time and full-time jobs with substantial earnings from April 2017 to July 2019 as a security guard, the Board found that he was employable throughout his appeal period.

The Board has decided that the VA Regional Office (RO) must take additional steps to contact the Veteran, including reaching out through his social worker and obtaining updated treatment records. The issues of entitlement to an extraschedular rating for service-connected bilateral wrist fracture residuals and TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to result in permanent disability, and therefore the criteria for a permanent and total rating under VA regulations are not met.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic shoulder, wrist, foot, and knee disorders, as well as COPD, due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a left wrist and left elbow disorder due to incomplete communication with the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right wrist is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate based on the current functional impairment.

Service connection for chest pain is granted as a manifestation of service-connected GERD.,Service connection for bilateral wrist disability, to include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis of the right hand, hemorrhoids, and pelvic disability are denied.,Service connection for gastric ulcers, ovarian disorder, peripheral nerve disorder, and undiagnosed illness manifested by joint pain and respiratory symptoms is granted.

The appeal of service connection for dizziness is dismissed. The claim for heart condition and several joint conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and sleep apnea have been reopened, with the former being granted.,Service connection is denied for hypertension, non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (stroke), and right wrist condition.