Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist, right and left knee disabilities, cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for his left knee disability from July 1, 2017 to December 8, 2021.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as they found no nexus between his current CTS and his in-service injuries, despite a current diagnosis of CTS. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to support secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's joint and muscle pain. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected scar(s) of the left shoulder, status post arthroscopy has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his status post arthroscopy with clavicle removal of the left shoulder acromioclavicular joint separation with degenerative changes and impingement (nondominant) was denied as there is no basis to award a higher disability rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his left wrist condition and pain has been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service onset of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his back disability was also remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding the in-service onset of the condition.

The Board has found that additional development is required before the claims on appeal are decided, and thus remanded for further action.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. The Board has also remanded several other issues for further development and clarification of the evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine has been reopened and remanded. The claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, left shoulder, and right wrist are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right wrist disability is related to her service, and specifically whether it was aggravated by active duty service. The VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing an etiology opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee instability and meniscal condition, have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 3, 2011. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's right shoulder sprain with supraspinatus tendinitis and impingement syndrome is currently rated at 30 percent prior to December 9, 2020, and 40 percent thereafter. The appeal for increased ratings remains pending.,The Veteran's right wrist sprain is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected arthritis of the right (non-dominant) wrist has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae remains pending and is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, compensable ratings for left otitis media with mastoidectomy and left tympanoplasty, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral wrist disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shin splints, right ankle sprain, and a bilateral wrist condition. The Veteran's conditions are found to have begun during his military service.,Service connection is granted based on direct evidence of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal, as requested by both herself and her representative.

The Veteran's VR&E benefits were previously terminated due to the expiration of his eligibility period. The Board has decided to remand this matter for further evaluation and determination of whether he currently has a serious employment handicap, which could potentially extend his eligibility.

The Board has denied service connection for ulcerative colitis and right wrist degenerative arthritis. The case is remanded to obtain a proper VA examination for the left wrist.,Service connection for ulcerative colitis was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the claims of service connection for vitiligo and arthritis of the hands and wrist. The Veteran will need to undergo additional examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.