Wrist & hand decisions — 2022

The Veteran's right and left arm disabilities are granted as service-connected. The claims for OSA, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension remain pending due to remand requirements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder, wrist, elbow, and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to a lumbar strain. The Board found no current disability in these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for heart disability, hypertension, bilateral hand disabilities (carpal tunnel syndrome and gout), as well as type-II diabetes mellitus and liver disability due to exposure to tactical herbicide agents. The Veteran's service records do not support his claim of exposure to such agents during service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, heart disorder, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, and right leg neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including tinnitus, PTSD, right wrist disability, and Bell's palsy, is remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The claims of entitlement to service connection for left knee meniscus tear and left carpal tunnel syndrome are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The right knee meniscus tear, hysterectomy residuals, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and irritable bowel syndrome issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.,Service connection for PTSD remains denied as the in-service stressor could not be corroborated.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence and issues being inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, particularly those related to his service. The Veteran is required to provide verification of all periods of active duty and ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA, and a VA examination must be conducted to determine if any current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military duties as a cryptologic linguist.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining claims of service connection for left shoulder disability, eye disability, left wrist disability, asthma, and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his right wrist fracture with traumatic arthritis and TDIU claims were denied. The Board found that the current rating of 20 percent adequately reflects the severity of the condition.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right wrist fracture and remanded the issue of service connection for low back disability.

The Veteran's initial increased rating claim for dysthymic disorder from June 4, 2012 was denied. The Board found that the disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating than 70 percent. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU since June 4, 2012 was granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral wrist condition, lumbar spine condition, right ankle condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, PTSD and insomnia) due to incomplete service records and inadequate nexus opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral CTS, cervical spine condition, and lumbar spine condition. The claims are related to service connection on a direct basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for conditions of the bilateral upper arms, elbows, wrists, and legs due to insufficient examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for new VA examinations due to his failure to attend scheduled appointments. The claims include issues related to levoscoliosis, left and right wrist disabilities, and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his service, and thus granted his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome, as secondary to service-connected radiculopathy of the left upper extremity and/or medial epicondylitis of the left elbow. The case is being returned for further development including obtaining a VA medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have aggravated his left carpal tunnel syndrome.