Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are granted. The claim for a cognitive disorder, to include memory loss, due to in-service toxic exposure or head injury is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the passage of time since his last VA examinations and possible worsening of his service-connected disabilities. He must provide updated treatment records, and he will be scheduled for new VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for the periods prior to January 19, 2016, as the appellant withdrew all issues in this appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The right foot, RUEPN, LUEPN, RLEPN, LLEPN, left hip, right hip, right CTS, left CTS, right hip scar, lumbar spine, CAD, left knee, right knee, hypertension, and ED conditions are not found to be related to his active duty service. The Veteran's Hepatitis C is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or residuals associated with the condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's gout was aggravated by his service-connected nephrolithiasis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all listed conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate opinion in the VA examination report, and thus service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is being sent back for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome and denied service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic sinus disorder. Service connection is granted for left carpal tunnel syndrome due to a current diagnosis and in-service incurrence, but not for right carpal tunnel syndrome or chronic sinus disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding service connection for low back disability, as the current opinion is inadequate. Service connection for right wrist disability remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left wrist scars, to include on an extraschedular basis, was denied due to the lack of qualifying scar area and no associated underlying soft tissue damage or instability.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder was also denied as her symptoms do not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot bone spur and bilateral wrist condition, including bilateral carpel tunnel due to incomplete development of her case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left shoulder disability and associated elbow and wrist conditions, do not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist disabilities, including essential tremors and median nerve entrapment, are related to his service-connected somatic symptom disorder and traumatic brain injury residuals. However, further clarification is needed regarding whether these conditions are separate from each other or if they are caused by the service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left foot gout, right wrist gout, and right and left ankle gout. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are consistent with his service records and medical opinions supporting their onset during service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for post-operative right carpal tunnel syndrome was denied because she failed to attend a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture of the navicular bone of the right wrist are granted an increased rating to 10 percent effective April 1, 2022. Service connection for tinnitus is granted as secondary to left ear hearing loss. Service connection for right and left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents, as there was a duty to assist error in not obtaining VA examinations to determine if any condition is caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a lumbar disability and generalized anxiety disorder, but denied the claim for left wrist disability. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Board denied service connection for right wrist and left shoulder disorders, finding the evidence did not support a current diagnosis or causal relationship to active service.,Service connection was granted for plantar fasciitis of the right foot, but with a limitation on its rating.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Korea and granted pursuant to the PACT Act. The issues for right wrist limitation of motion, right wrist surgical scar, and right wrist gangliectomy scar are remanded.