Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, hair loss, penile disability, hypertension, heart disability, knee disabilities, and wrist disabilities. The appeals were remanded for further action on some issues.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period prior to October 29, 2021 due to her service-connected PTSD rated at 70 percent. Additionally, she is granted SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) based on her additional disabilities of tinnitus, cervical strain, right wrist sprain (Major), radiculopathy, right upper extremity, and migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and a need for VA examinations to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his claimed disabilities and his military service. The claims will be reconsidered with additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has found that the VA examinations provided were inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine the current severity of the left wrist disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back strain) was granted. The claims for service connection of the left knee, ankle, elbow, shoulder, wrist, and cardiovascular conditions are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches due to potential errors in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty. The issues include increased disability rating for post-operative gynecomastia scars, initial compensable rating for left wrist skin cancer and residuals, earlier effective date for service connection of left wrist squamous cell carcinoma and residuals, and earlier effective date for increased disability rating for post-operative gynecomastia scars.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his bilateral wrist, hand, knee, and cervical spine disabilities. The VA is required to provide a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome is rated at 30 percent from April 23, 2021. The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are currently rated at 50 percent and the Board denied a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for arthritis, bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and right foot fracture due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions. The AOJ will obtain missing private treatment records and VistA Imaging records, as well as arrange for VA examinations.

The Veteran's right ankle and right wrist disabilities have been granted service connection as they are found to be related to her active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, wrist disability, lower back disability, shin splints, foot disability (including tinea pedis), and hip disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is presumed competent to report his symptoms and continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's PTSD and associated mental health disabilities have been manifested by impairment with deficiencies in most areas including work, family life, judgment, thinking, and mood. The Board denied the claim for a disability rating greater than 70 percent for PTSD but granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in the prior rating decision. The AOJ will need to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service, their relationship to his military duties, and any potential toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) related to Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for left elbow disorder, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left cubital tunnel syndrome, and right cubital tunnel syndrome. These conditions are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a right eye disability due to lack of evidence demonstrating the existence of a current diagnosis. The issues of service connection for a right wrist disability and fatigue secondary to tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to a duty to assist error and the need to adjudicate secondary service connection for ankle disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to ensure all VA treatment records have been associated with the claims file, and then to adjudicate the secondary service connection claim.