Wrist & hand decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral wrists and sleep apnea due to potential errors in the appeals process. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including those from Dr. T. Ford, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if her conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for coronary artery disease has been granted, with the effective date set at September 16, 2015.,Service connection for skin cancer is granted based on herbicide exposure during active service.,Service connection for scars secondary to service-connected skin cancer is also granted.,Increased ratings for a cervical spine strain are remanded for further examination and rating determination.,The Veteran's current 20 percent rating for the period following May 7, 2018, remains unchanged.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including blindness, glaucoma, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder pain, elbow and wrist swelling, toe numbness, leg numbness, jaw joint pain, hip joint swelling, knee and ankle pain, bilateral pes planus, foot bunions, rib fracture discomfort, hand weakness, left hand swelling, tonsillitis, dizzy spells, fatigue, pharyngitis, allergy disorder, breathing disorder, sleep apnea, heart condition, ulcer, gastritis, gastrointestinal problems, GERD, kidney disorder, lipoma, obesity, arm numbness and pain, and finger numbness. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.,The Veteran's TBI claim is also denied as there was no in-service head injury or related condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, an acquired psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, and a lumbar spine disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist disability, rectocele, right knee disability (secondary to service-connected left knee surgery), and bilateral pes planus. The Veteran is now assigned a 10% rating for s/p left knee surgery with pain and cartilage thinning.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right ulnar neuropathy, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, and residuals of a right wrist fracture are denied. The Board has remanded these issues.

The Veteran's right CTS is granted a 50% rating from June 4, 2012 to October 17, 2012. The claim for higher ratings is denied from December 1, 2012 to September 1, 2015 and from October 1, 2016.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder is dismissed.,Service connection granted for right wrist disability, left wrist disability, and headaches as a residual of TBI.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding his claimed disabilities and their relationship to active duty, including exposure to G-forces as a pilot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated examinations and a statement of the case regarding her right wrist disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome due to a lack of VA treatment records, specifically an EMG report from February 2009.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a left foot callus. The VA medical opinions provided were not favorable to the Veteran's claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back, left ankle, right wrist and throat disabilities due to insufficient examination opinions regarding their etiology. The VA examiners are instructed to provide a clear opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding records and need for additional examinations. The issues include arthritis of the back, wrists, knees, colon condition, and skin cancer.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, right and left upper extremities are being remanded as the VA examiner's opinion is insufficient to adjudicate these claims. The addendum opinion must address whether the bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy with focal laser treatment (previously rated as eye condition) is being remanded. The VA examiner must determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected diabetic retinopathy and whether any other related psychiatric disability, including PTSD, were incurred in or are related to his service.

Service connection is granted for myeloid leukemia due to exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water. Other conditions are denied.

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting examinations to address the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is found to have begun during active service and continues to the present, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim for service connection of an abdominal disorder is granted. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's bilateral wrist disorder and abdominal disorder claims.