Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims are being remanded to attempt to verify his service in Southwest Asia and obtain any missing personnel and medical records. The Board will then adjudicate the reopened claims based on the evidence received.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left wrist disability, chronic left 2nd finger strain, and chronic left 3rd finger strain have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and he is now rated at a 10% disability evaluation for his degenerative arthritis of the right hand and left hand, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities. The rating for his right ear hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left wrist disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right wrist disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for an additional VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right wrist disorder had its onset during service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board denied service connection for a right arm disability and a right hand disability, including as separate from De Quervain's tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.,There is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service injuries that would support the Veteran's claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in its decision regarding TDIU and DEA benefits, specifically for the period prior to April 4, 2011. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are expected to be reassessed on remand.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not substantially comply with its March 2022 remand directives regarding the Veteran's claims for bilateral CTS and bilateral foot conditions. Therefore, these issues are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's left and right shoulder, left wrist, neck, and lower back disorders, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to an incident during a period of inactive duty training in 2003.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral wrist and knee disorders, as well as the claim for a TDIU prior to January 14, 2022. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service and post-service symptoms will be considered by the VA in providing an opinion on whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left wrist fusion with arthritis, painful linear scar from a previous wrist surgery, and linear scar from a cesarean section were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because he did not submit a completed VA Form 21-8940 to support his application, and there is no indication in the evidence of record that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a left wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not related to his active duty service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep apnea, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and cervical spine due to procedural issues with the Notice of Disagreement form.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hand, shoulder, knee, carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache disabilities as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or were related to active service.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 10, 2003 for the award of a TDIU on a schedular basis. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to March 20, 2009 is remanded.

The Board has found that the RO substantially complied with the February 2022 Board remand directives. The Veteran's claims for service connection and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability are all remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, including CIDP and carpal tunnel syndrome, did not start during or immediately after his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a new examination that complies with Correia v. McDonald (2016).