Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for carpal tunnel, diabetes, erectile dysfunction (ED), high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, nervousness/memory loss, pinched nerve/trembling, and a sleep disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right hip disability, left hip disability, PTSD, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability has been granted.,The Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also granted.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, right wrist disability, and left ankle disability have all been denied as there is no current evidence of a service-connected disability.,There are no findings or diagnoses of any current disabilities related to the claimed conditions in the record.

The Veteran's tension headaches were granted a 30 percent rating prior to March 11, 2016.,From March 11, 2016, the Veteran's tension headaches are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a grant of special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist arthritis as secondary to his service-connected left wrist fibroma, finding that there is a nexus between the current condition and military service.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder, wrist, knee disabilities are granted service connection. Service connection for allergic rhinitis is also granted.

The Veteran's left wrist disability has been rated at 10 percent since the award of service connection. The Board found that there is no evidence of ankylosis or incapacitating exacerbations due to degenerative arthritis, and thus denied a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist condition is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for a left wrist disability.

The Board has ordered a remand for the VA examiner to provide an opinion on the severity of the Veteran's right wrist degenerative arthritis prior to December 20, 2019. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD and an increased rating for right dorsal wrist ganglion with tendonitis have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, left wrist disorder, and left knee disorder due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates before January 20, 2015 for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities have been denied as there is no evidence of an earlier claim.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities are remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's conditions are due to his active military service.

The Veteran's right hand and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome were rated at 20 percent from December 1, 2014 to January 17, 2022. The Board found that these conditions did not warrant a higher rating during this period.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims can be adjudicated. The AOJ should obtain copies of VA treatment records for the Veteran's disabilities from October 2019 to the present, verify all active duty for training and inactive duty training dates for alleged service, and obtain his complete service treatment records. A VA examination must also be scheduled for the Veteran regarding his left shoulder disability, migraine headaches, and cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and development of his claim for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination to assess his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left wrist range of motion during flare-ups and potential ankylosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.