Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle, knee, and shoulder disorders due to incomplete development of his medical records.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing the conditions began during or were related to service.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a left wrist condition, denied an initial compensable rating for a left wrist scar, and denied a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for left wrist radial nerve damage.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine the nature and extent of any employment during the pendency of this appeal, as well as service connection for various conditions. The claims are being remanded for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for wrist and hand disabilities as secondary to shoulder disabilities, due to chemical exposure, or related to medication prescribed for service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) from February 28, 2013 is granted. The matter of an extraschedular TDIU prior to that date is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis and a higher rating for his right wrist strain (fracture). The Board has remanded the case to obtain an examination by a neurologist, as well as to address the etiology of the Veteran's multiple sclerosis.,The current claim is pending regarding whether new evidence supports reopening the service connection claim for multiple sclerosis and determining if the Veteran's right wrist strain warrants a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right wrist disorder, including carpal-tunnel syndrome (median nerve), was characterized by mild, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve throughout the period on appeal.,The Veteran's service-connected left wrist disorder, including carpal-tunnel syndrome (median nerve) and incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve, was characterized by mild, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve with intermittent involvement of the ulnar nerve.

The Veteran's ED is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with MDD. The remaining claims for increased ratings and service connection are dismissed due to withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic allergies has been reopened and granted. The Veteran is now entitled to a compensable rating for conjunctivitis, effective from August 16, 2017. Other issues remain pending.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a left wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition was not caused by VA treatment and did not establish an additional disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right wrist and thumb disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of more than two inches gap between the thumb pad and fingers, thus denying any higher rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a low back condition, neck condition, left ankle condition, and insomnia due to conflicting medical opinions and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to initial and increased evaluations for service-connected painful right wrist scars, right wrist scar with associated tissue damage, and right wrist scar with no associated tissue damage due to additional development needs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities due to inadequate reasons and bases provided in the January 2021 decision. The case is now pending for further examination and rating.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, left wrist and knee disabilities, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to the need for updated examinations and medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, a left elbow disorder, and a neck disorder. The decision also granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for left shoulder disorder with carpal tunnel syndrome is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and hypertension due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the competency of VA examiners and a need for a new medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right arm disabilities and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination reports and lack of a current clinically diagnosed disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for thoracic spine central disc bulge at T2-T3, neck condition(s), and left wrist condition(s).