Wrist & hand decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee arthritis and right carpal tunnel syndrome due to additional VA treatment records that have not been reviewed by the RO.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his right foot or ankle condition, chronic left wrist condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome from specific dates, and the Board has dismissed these appeals.

The Veteran's right wrist disorder and cervical spine disorder are granted as service connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The Veteran's varicose veins claim is being remanded, as are her carpal tunnel syndrome of the upper extremities, multiple sclerosis (MS) or MS-like disability, bilateral foot disability, and bilateral hand disability claims.

The Veteran's service-connected right wrist disability has not resulted in ankylosis, or the functional equivalent thereof, at any point in the appeal period. As a result, the claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran is required to provide a new medical opinion.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.,The claim for service connection for headaches, right knee disability, and tinnitus has been reopened and granted to the extent of these issues.,The claim for service connection for a respiratory disability (lung damage) is denied due to lack of current diagnosis or functional impairment.,A rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine is remanded as no VA examination was conducted in conjunction with this claim.,Service connection for PTSD is remanded as the incident basis for the claim has not been corroborated.,The claims for service connection for a right hand disability and right wrist disability are remanded due to lack of evidence linking these disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right shoulder disability, GERD, bronchitis, asthma, a right hand disability, and a right wrist disability due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for GERD is being remanded as it may be secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The Board also requested an opinion on whether the GERD is related to medication prescribed for his service-connected condition.,The Board has remanded the claims for bronchitis and asthma due to incomplete review of the record, including a lack of VA examinations regarding in-service asbestos exposure.,The Board has remanded the claims for a right hand disability and a right wrist disability as they may be related to already service-connected conditions. The Veteran's MOS was gas turbine maintenance, which could have exposed him to asbestos.,The Board has remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's post-operative tear of the right wrist with a sprain and tendonitis has been characterized by pain that causes functional loss, resulting in a denial of a rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further examination to determine its current severity.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to service connection for left wrist disability, right wrist disability, and acid reflux. The rating for migraine headaches was also dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, or diabetes mellitus Type II for VA purposes. The Veteran's service treatment records and VA treatment records do not document any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses of these conditions.,VA medical opinions provided in October 2021 did not address whether the Veteran's claimed diabetes mellitus was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete or conflicting opinions regarding his neurological conditions, anxiety disorder, and eligibility for benefits. The claims will be reviewed again with additional development.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for another VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 50 percent for left upper extremity and 40 percent for right upper extremity.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for new VA examinations to assess his left shoulder and wrist conditions, as well as consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to unclear diagnoses and overlapping symptoms.

The Board has found that the Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome does not result in worse than mild impairment of either median nerve. The claims for increased ratings for wrist and knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examination to determine the effect of flares on functional ability.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations did not provide sufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed wrist conditions, and therefore the claims are being remanded for further development.