Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

Service connection is granted for seizures, memory loss, and hypertension.,The Veteran's left shoulder condition, fibromyalgia, back condition, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and skin condition are remanded for further development.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities for the period from September 27, 2012 to December 28, 2015 and for the period from December 29, 2015 to present.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and left wrist disorders due to insufficient evidence in their favor.

The Veteran's headaches have been rated at a maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, and no higher.,The Veteran has multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities that do not meet the criteria for a separate 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected left wrist disorder and left upper extremity muscle atrophy have not prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since September 4, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and back disability as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings were remanded, with the case being returned to the AOJ for readjudication.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a bilateral wrist disorder is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives and the need for updated VA treatment records and a contemporaneous examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including prostate cancer and elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his claimed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the lack of recent medical records and a need for a more contemporaneous VA examination to assess his left wrist disability.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for chronic sinusitis was denied as her symptoms did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right hand disorder were both denied due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to his failure to appear for VA examinations and because of a recent address change. The claims include issues related to bilateral hearing loss, s/p nasal bone fracture, arm disabilities, carpal tunnel syndrome, left eye disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information provided by a previous VA examination regarding the severity of the Veteran's right wrist fracture.

The Veteran's evaluation for benign essential tremor with carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper extremity was reduced from 20 percent to 0 percent effective September 1, 2016. The reduction was improper and the rating is restored.

The Board denied service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome, granted a 40 percent rating for chronic lumbar strain and IVDS with thoracic myalgia beginning January 16, 2020, and denied ratings for other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and left wrist shell fragment wound, resulted from a common etiology of combat injuries. His combined disability rating is 60%, meeting the schedular threshold for a TDIU. However, he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations for service connection claims related to bilateral big toe, knee, ankle disorders and right carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to her military service.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right hand and wrist numbness, left hand and wrist numbness, and loss of use of both hands as the Veteran's conditions were not caused by VA care or treatment.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome, intestinal disorder (colitis and diverticulitis), esophageal disorder (hiatal hernia), sinusitis, and left epididymitis claimed as secondary to a service-connected appendectomy due to deficiencies in medical opinions provided by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and entitlement to service connection has been granted for a back disorder. The remaining issues of right wrist and ankle disorders are remanded for further development.