Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran's GAD is granted as service connection due to the positive nexus opinion and inadequate negative nexus opinion.,Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's left wrist disability has been rated at 10 percent since 2009. The Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted as the evidence does not show any ankylosis or other compensable limitation of motion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of increased rating for right middle finger fracture, service connection for bilateral knees, and residuals of right wrist burn are being returned to VA for additional evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder and right wrist disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of December 9, 2020. The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance with respect to his ability to obtain and maintain such employment prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to incomplete development, including obtaining additional medical records and evidence. The issues of PTSD and internal bleeding are inextricably intertwined with TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the Board has remanded several issues including cervical spine disability, right wrist disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as well as a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during or related to his active military service.,The Board also found that the Veteran's current CTS and low back disabilities were not caused by or aggravated by any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her left knee condition and right wrist condition, prevented her from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire period of appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination by an orthopedist to address the issues of service connection for arthritis of the left hand and wrist and increased rating for residuals of a fracture to the left fifth metacarpal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding whether preexisting scoliosis was aggravated by active duty, and because these issues are inextricably intertwined with the underlying thoracolumbar spine disability claim.

The Board has determined that new examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome due to the Veteran's testimony suggesting worsening symptoms.

Service connection is granted for sinusitis and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's claims for back pain, TBI with post-concussive disorder, left elbow strain, left wrist strain, left knee degenerative joint disease with retained shrapnel, and right knee degenerative joint disease are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left hand condition. The case will be returned for a new examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection on all listed conditions before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome with peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and development are not in compliance with the prior remand directives. The claims for increased ratings will be addressed again to obtain a medical opinion compliant with the holding in Sharp v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 26 (2017).

The Board has remanded the claims for a compensable evaluation for service-connected fracture of the fifth digit of the right hand, as well as service connection for residuals of metacarpal fracture of the fourth digit of the right hand, nerve damage of the right wrist secondary to service-connected fractures, hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 secondary to service-connected fractures. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence from a previous examination.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left wrist, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development, including medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his healed fractures of the left wrist and right thumb are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. Additional VA examinations are needed, and updated treatment records should be obtained.