Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist disabilities due to a failure to provide a VA examination. The Veteran contends his current wrist pain is related to lifting heavy ammunition during active duty.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in June 2021 were inadequate for adjudication purposes and thus remanded to obtain additional opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions, including bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus, unspecified anxiety disorder, right and left cubital tunnel syndrome, and chronic right wrist sprain. The Board has determined that the claims are remanded due to insufficient medical evidence in the record regarding her cervical spine disability.,The Veteran also seeks service connection for a cervical spine disability, which is currently under review.

The Veteran's motion to revise the August 2018 rating decision regarding effective dates and disability ratings was dismissed because the decision had not yet become final at the time of the CUE motion.

The Veteran is granted eligibility for specially adapted housing and SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including a below-the-knee amputation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left wrist disability have been denied. The TDIU issue has been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right wrist degenerative arthritis is denied as the evidence does not support an increase in disability beyond what is currently assigned.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar spondylosis and DDD, bilateral pes planus, gout, right knee degenerative arthritis and gout, left knee degenerative arthritis and gout, right great toe degenerative arthritis and gout, and left great toe degenerative arthritis were granted effective from May 7, 2010. The Board found no legal basis to award an earlier effective date for any of these grants.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral foot disability, knee disability, or great toe disability prior to May 7, 2010 were not pending and thus denied.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted with an effective date of November 2, 2014. The Board found that the service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment as early as November 2, 2014.,VA has a duty to maximize benefits for the Veteran.

The Veteran's service connection for a left wrist sprain is granted, and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a right wrist sprain is denied. The issue of TDIU is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of carpal tunnel syndrome of both wrists, finding that entitlement to benefits arose on September 1, 1999, but the claim was filed later.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpel tunnel syndrome left wrist, left hand/wrist surgery, shaving disorder (pseudofolliculitis), and tinnitus are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions. The claims will be reconsidered with a full accounting of his training dates, addendum opinions on the etiology of each condition, and consideration of secondary service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left elbow pain, right elbow pain, left shoulder pain, and left wrist pain. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's TMJ dysfunction is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on interincisal range or lateral excursion.,The Veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent. The evidence does not show functional or literal ankylosis of the right wrist and the rating schedule adequately contemplates his symptoms.

The Veteran's right wrist sprain is denied. His hyperhidrosis, severe sensitivity to light, heat and humidity, lung disorder (status post pneumothorax), eye disability (dry eye syndrome and blepharitis squamous), and gastrointestinal disorder are all granted as secondary to his service-connected hyperhidrosis.

The rating for right hip disability was restored from 10 to 20 percent, effective December 1, 2022. The Veteran's right wrist and left thumb disabilities were granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his limitations on walking, sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, and sleep disturbances.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, left wrist disorder, left hand disorder, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, and left upper extremity radiculopathy disorder due to new and relevant evidence submitted since the March 2019 rating decision.,The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disorder but has not determined whether there is a current disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal and hearing request.