Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral elbow, shoulder, hip, wrist, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cervical spine disabilities, as the evidence did not support a link to service.

A 70 percent rating for PTSD prior to May 12, 2023 is granted.,A 10 percent rating for scars on the bicep, wrist, and hand (shell fragment injury residuals) is granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right wrist disability and left wrist disability due to insufficient development in the prior VA examination.,Additional medical evidence is needed to determine if these disabilities are related to service.

Service connection is granted for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, left ear sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for unspecified depressive disorder, right ankle degenerative arthritis, left ankle degenerative arthritis, right knee osteoarthritis status post total replacement, left knee osteoarthritis status post meniscal tear repair, right hip degenerative arthritis, left hip degenerative arthritis and femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, right wrist degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tear status post total replacement, left shoulder acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, right lateral epicondylitis, left lateral epicondylitis, neck pain, lumbar spine DJD, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy.,Service connection is denied for coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, tinnitus, right wrist and hand conditions, left forearm condition, and lower back condition have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection for a left wrist scar from carpal tunnel surgery is denied. The Board has also remanded the claim for erectile dysfunction due to potential secondary service connection.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,For his left wrist residuals, the Veteran is already in receipt of the maximum available rating based on limitation of motion (10%). For right wrist residuals, he also has the maximum available rating for limitation of motion (10%).,The Veteran's claim for service connection for collapsed vocal cord remains pending as there are no findings or evidence to support a direct relationship with his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding her claimed conditions. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records, undergo VA examinations, and have their claims re-evaluated.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his service-connected left wrist disability due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral wrist disability and left foot disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to her active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, an upper respiratory disability, a right wrist disability, a gastrointestinal disability other than IBS, obstructive sleep apnea, and a right hip strain. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD has been reopened, but the evidence does not support reopening the claim for obstructive sleep apnea.,The Veteran's left wrist limitation of dorsiflexion and left wrist ganglion cyst have both been remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral wrist osteoarthritis is remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral pes planus was withdrawn. The appeals for a higher rating for right wrist and ankle sprains were denied, with the right ankle sprain being remanded due to insufficient evidence. Service connection for left ankle disorder and psychiatric conditions is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The issues of cervical strain, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis, right knee strain, left knee strain, right finger joint condition with rheumatoid and stiffness (right finger condition), left finger joint condition with rheumatoid and stiffness (left finger condition), right wrist rheumatoid arthritis (right wrist condition), left wrist rheumatoid arthritis (left wrist condition), left ankle condition, cardiac condition, and skin condition have been remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right wrist condition, right hand loss of strength, left wrist condition, and left hand loss of strength due to new evidence submitted since the October 2019 rating decision.

The Board has identified errors in the decision and has ordered remand for further development of evidence related to service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and he continues to maintain employment as a real estate agent. As such, entitlement to a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral foot scars was dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Further examination is required as the July 2013 VA audiological examination was inadequate.