Wrist & hand decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist disability, low back disability, and sinusitis due to incomplete medical records and insufficient nexus opinions.

The Veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome were not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing onset during or within one year after service, and no continuity of symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral eye disability, erectile dysfunction, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral sinusitis, vertigo, and bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to the lack of new evidence.,Service connection was also denied for insomnia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to May 14, 2012. The evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial rating for residuals of right wrist scaphoid fracture was denied, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,A separate 20 percent rating for left knee meniscal tears is granted from July 8, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, benign prostatic hypertrophy, poor circulation, numbness of the left leg, numbness of the right leg, erectile dysfunction, asthma, coronary artery disease and chronic congestive heart failure, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and urinary incontinence due to a lack of an adequate VA examination for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist and bilateral cubital tunnel syndrome due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran asserts that his conditions are related to his MOS as a ground radar system craftsman, which involved carrying and lifting heavy equipment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination due to issues with the current evaluations of right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome, including a lack of comprehensive examinations.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a remand is necessary to assess its current severity.

The appeal for service connection for a left eye disorder is denied. Appeals for right foot, elbow, wrist, and knee disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claims.,The Board will consider the effectiveness of service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, respiratory issues, left 5th finger numbness, restless leg syndrome, knee disabilities, and foot hallux valgus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if there is a right knee disability related to service, and to assess the severity of the Veteran's painful scars on his wrist.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, cervical spine disorder, right carpal tunnel syndrome, GERD, TBI, and an equilibrium disorder. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left ankle DJD and left wrist tendinitis are granted service connection. The right ankle disorder is remanded for further review.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's VA treatment records and his VR&E files, as these documents are relevant to the issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right wrist injury, left wrist injury, hypertension, and left knee condition due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's back disability is granted as service-connected. The left-hand, right-wrist, and left-elbow disabilities are denied. The left-knee disability is remanded for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is related to her service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection for psychomotor epilepsy is denied as he has not experienced seizures during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claimed 'blackouts' are found to be a symptom of his already service-connected psychomotor epilepsy.

The Veteran's service connection claim for right ear hearing loss was denied, and his increased rating claim for right wrist tendinitis was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating for generalized anxiety disorder from March 29, 2011 to September 4, 2019.