Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral knee and wrist disorders due to uncertainty regarding the diagnosis and etiology of his conditions, as well as lack of probative medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety; a left wrist condition; tinnitus; and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The claims will be reviewed again with additional medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) is denied as he does not meet the schedular or extraschedular criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of his claims file. The issue of whether his pre-existing right wrist condition was aggravated by active service remains unresolved.

The Veteran's prostate disability claim has been denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition, and it is not related to service or a service-connected disability.,The cervical spine degenerative joint disease claim is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.,The right wrist disability claim is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.,The right ring finger disability claim is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.

The Board has remanded several issues including accrued benefits, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to pending requests for substitution and other unresolved claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (unspecified depressive disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right wrist condition, hearing loss, and tinnitus) rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of increased ratings and service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his carpal tunnel syndrome, hiatal hernia (GERD), back injury, and chalazion. The issues are related to whether these conditions are related to service or if they have been aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is granted service connection. The Veteran's leukopenia and left shoulder surgical scar are denied compensable ratings. Service connection for aplastic anemia, bilateral wrist condition, and bilateral hip conditions are remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation. PTSD and persistent depressive disorder, dysthymia are also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current condition did not begin during a period of active duty, inactive duty training, or reserve duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various arm, shoulder, hip, and knee disorders have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board has also found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation for some of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including eye conditions, foot and ankle disabilities, fatigue syndrome, cysts, and warts. The Veteran is asked to provide information about his treatment from private medical providers who may have treated him for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities such as left knee instability and lumbosacral strain, rendered her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 12, 2020.

The Veteran's left wrist disability, which includes a fracture with carpectomy, radial styloidectomy, and fusion, has not been shown to meet the criteria for a rating greater than 30 percent from May 1, 2014, through March 18, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for clothing allowances due to insufficient records and unclear appeal status.

The Veteran's claim for service connection on the merits is being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Board will gather additional information and evidence to determine if there are any service-connected conditions related to the Veteran's knee disabilities or vision disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the Board found no new or material evidence to reopen these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied for all other conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DJD of the right and left knees due to insufficient evidence regarding whether these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,A rating of 10 percent, and no higher, has been granted for degenerative arthritis of the right fifth finger.,Service connection for hypertension has been established.,Service connection for residuals of status post bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome release has been established.,Service connection for migraine headaches has been established.,Service connection for a disability of the ear manifested by dizziness (including vertigo and peripheral vestibular disorder (PVD)) as secondary to service-connected rhinitis has been established.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, has not been established.