Wrist & hand decisions — 2021

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease, arthritis, of the right wrist/hand with advanced collapse of the scapholunate (slack wrist), and chronic disability of the lower back, lumbar spine, multilevel disc disease with spondylolisthesis. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining VA examinations and additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted a maximum schedular 50 percent rating for service-connected headaches, effective since November 6, 2020. The appeal is remanded for further consideration of the issues of service connection for OSA and left-side carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various disabilities, including elbow, cervical spine, thoracic spine, wrist, hip, knee, bronchitis, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity as there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome with right hand weakness is granted a disability rating of 50 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for sacroiliac joint dysfunction and ratings for spinal fusion, carpal tunnel syndromes, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including skin condition, lumbar spine disability, wrist and thumb disabilities, foot disabilities, ankle disabilities, and knee disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain new medical opinions regarding the nature of the Veteran's treatment for his skin condition, etiology of his back and bilateral hand conditions, etiology of his foot and ankle conditions, and etiology of his bilateral knee conditions.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than April 10, 2018 for the grant of service connection for various conditions have been denied.,Effective dates cannot be established before the date of separation from active duty or the date entitlement arose if within one year.

The Board denied an effective date prior to November 14, 2008 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The earliest indication of a TDIU claim in the Veteran's record was the November 2008 correspondence.

The Veteran's service-connected left wrist and left thumb disabilities do not render him unemployable, as the evidence does not show that his disability prevents him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was granted as it manifested during service and is related to service.,Bilateral shoulder disability was granted as it manifested during service with continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 is denied as there is no indication of its onset in service or a link to service.,Right elbow bursitis and left wrist arthritis are granted as the evidence supports their connection to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims of service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as right and left foot conditions have been granted. The appeals for PTSD, medial epicondylitis, increased ratings for shoulder disorders, anxiety disorder, and the remaining foot condition issues are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist, lumbar spine, sleep impairment, and left sciatic nerve disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee and right wrist degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's service connection claim for carpal tunnel syndrome in the right hand was denied. The ED rating from December 28, 2015 was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and polyarthralgia involving multiple joints, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 5, 2020. As of that date, his combined disability rating is 100 percent, which moots the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left carpal tunnel, bilateral leg disability, bilateral wrist disability, headaches, insomnia disorder, and bilateral knee disability have been remanded by the Board.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2010, for the award of service connection for right and left carpal tunnel has been denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right wrist condition was denied as the evidence did not show ankylosis or functional equivalent of ankylosis, and therefore, the current 40% rating remains in effect.