Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and evaluations to address discrepancies in findings related to the Veteran's left fifth finger disability, including arthritis. The issues of service connection for the left hand and wrist arthritis are also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to December 8, 2016. The evidence does not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent prior to October 15, 2018. The Board finds the disability picture shown in the October 2018 VA examination report best represents her disability for this period.,The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that require further evaluation and clarification of their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded due to inadequate medical findings regarding range of motion loss during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's right hand disability, including a wrist disability. The VA needs to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the in-service injuries and repetitive trauma made the Veteran more susceptible to developing his current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist disorder, finding that the Veteran's reports of in-service injuries are consistent with his service and that he likely developed post-traumatic arthritis after an injury in 1976. The decision is based on resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and potential issues with pre-existing conditions. Additional evidence is needed, including VA treatment records and an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 21, 2022. The Board has found that the evidence is in at least approximate balance and any remaining reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the Veteran. TDIU is granted prior to October 21, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, right ankle sprain, right wrist sprain, left lower extremity varicose veins, lumbar spine condition, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and tension headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left wrist disability has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right wrist, acquired psychiatric disabilities (depression and anxiety), residual scars of the right upper extremity, residual painful scars of the right upper extremity, and right shoulder disabilities manifesting in glenohumeral joint dislocation and limitation of motion.

The Board has found that the AOJ's most recent readjudication of these matters in the February 2020 SOC was procedurally defective and must be corrected on remand to ensure due process for the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disability, neck disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability. Service connection was granted for ingrown toenails of both feet.,Service connection was not established for the Veteran's claimed conditions due to lack of evidence demonstrating current disabilities or a link between his military service and these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at a 10 percent disability rating from March 2, 2023, to September 3, 2023. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating prior to September 3, 2023, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for hypertension is REMANDED.,The Veteran's left wrist disability was rated at a 10 percent disability rating from October 30, 2019. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating prior to October 30, 2019, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for a left wrist disability is REMANDED.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability, other than his already service-connected right carpal tunnel syndrome. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran had such a condition during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, lower back disability, erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral upper extremities have been reopened. The claims are granted.,Service connection is established for migraine headaches as secondary to a service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed and depressed mood; for a lower back disability due to active duty service; for erectile dysfunction as secondary to a service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed and depressed mood; and for carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral upper extremities due to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for right shoulder, wrist, and knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and the submission of outstanding medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left wrist carpal tunnel syndromes have been rated at the lowest available disability rating of 10 percent.,Both his right and left wrists are rated as having mild incomplete paralysis, which corresponds to a 10 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 8515.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as there was no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome with neuropathy, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome with neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.