Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and procedural errors. The claims will be reconsidered with new examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury in service and insufficient credible evidence to establish a relationship between current symptoms and service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right-hand disability, other than carpal tunnel syndrome, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper extremity (major) and left upper extremity (minor), tension headaches, and internal hemorrhoids have been granted increased evaluations from September 14, 2017. The Veteran is also remanded for a separate rating for his ulnar neuropathy.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of considerable impairment of health.,The Veteran's CTS of the right median nerve and left median nerve are both rated at 10 percent, with no evidence of moderate or severe incomplete paralysis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart conditions, right ankle condition, left wrist condition, and right wrist condition due to insufficient evidence. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right and left thumb disabilities, as well as their corresponding wrist disabilities, are not service-connected.,For the right knee disability, a rating of 10 percent is granted. For the left knee strain, a rating of 10 percent is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's physical and/or mental impairment needs to be evaluated in relation to his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip osteoarthritis, left knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis, right knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis, and right wrist degenerative arthritis. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service MOS as a survival instructor and associated injuries from parachute jumps.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right wrist disability and right wrist scars was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or scars, as the current ratings were already at their maximum.

The Board denied service connection for left wrist and left knee disabilities, finding no current diagnoses or evidence of in-service injury that would support a grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for his left ring finger and bilateral hand and wrist scars due to issues with scheduling examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left and right elbow disabilities, left and right wrist disabilities, and chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified anxiety and insomnia disorder).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a cervical spine condition and right wrist condition due to insufficient examination opinions. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's MOS as a combat engineer is considered, but further examination is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's September 2019 VA Form 9 was timely filed in response to the September 2017 Statement of the Case, and thus grants the appeal.

Service connection for prostate cancer is denied as there was no in-service disease or injury indicative of the condition, and it is not related to service.,Service connection for left foot disability is denied due to lack of evidence showing a disease or injury during service.,Service connection for right foot disability is denied due to lack of evidence showing a disease or injury during service.,Service connection for left CTS is denied as there was no in-service onset and it is not related to service.,Service connection for right CTS is denied as it is not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,Service connection for vision disability (bilateral cataracts, bilateral dry eye syndrome, bilateral vitreous floaters, and bilateral pinguecula) is denied due to lack of evidence showing a disease or injury during service.,Service connection for lumbar spine disability is denied as there was no in-service onset and it is not related to service.,Service connection for cervical spine disability is denied as there was no in-service onset and it is not related to service.,Service connection for vitiligo is denied due to lack of evidence showing a disease or injury during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his current right wrist condition.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal in its entirety, including the issues of rating for tendonitis, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome status post carpal tunnel release.