Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain an adequate VA examination regarding whether the Veteran currently has a right wrist disability. The examiner must determine if any current right wrist disability is related to service or pre-existing conditions, and assess whether it was caused by or aggravated by his left wrist condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right wrist disability is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for an updated examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating for his bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower sciatic nerve (sciatica), and cervical spine torticollis with degenerative disc disease and arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities were denied in a February 2015 rating decision. The appeal was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) filed by the Veteran was untimely.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to a duty to assist error and the need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his active duty service, including presumed exposure events while deployed to Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted service connection. His right shoulder disability, with recurrent dislocation and limitation of motion, is granted a separate 20 percent rating. The claims for bilateral feet, hands, wrists, and knees are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as claimed as a right wrist condition due to its association with a service-connected left wrist and hand condition. The decision is based on inadequate opinions provided in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including traumatic brain injury, vertigo, shoulder disabilities, elbow and wrist disabilities, hand disabilities, hip disability, ankle disabilities, respiratory breathing problems, frontal sinusitis, and rhinitis are denied. The Board notes that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to fine particulate matter during his service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.,Service connection for frontal sinusitis and rhinitis is granted based on presumptive exposure to fine particulate matter due to service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome due to a duty to assist error. The claims are being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left wrist and left ankle disabilities, as well as the claim for TDIU from September 16, 2009 to January 23, 2015. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient information regarding the presence and severity of radiculopathy associated with the Veteran's lumbar spine disability during a specific period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU as they are rated at less than 60% combined.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for service connection for various conditions including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the hands and wrists, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran was not provided notice of his right to a pre-decisional hearing before the AOJ.

The Board denied service connection for psoriatic arthritis of the bilateral wrists and hands, but granted a 10 percent rating effective February 22, 2022, for hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant due to his service-connected disabilities, which do not include anatomical loss or use of both hands or burn injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle, shoulder, wrist, and knee conditions have been denied as there is no current evidence of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right handed and left handed carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as her knee disorders and back disorder are denied. Her acquired psychiatric disorder claim is also remanded.

A rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's ganglion cyst left wrist is granted effective June 8, 2021.,The claim for a higher rating for the ganglion cyst left wrist remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals, status-post bone grafting left wrist with residual wrist scar and post-operative right ankle have been denied. The VA has determined that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has found that the AOJ did not substantially comply with its previous instructions and remanded the claims again. The new opinions are also inadequate, as they do not adequately address the Veteran's lay statements about his symptoms in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including lower back condition with back pain/arthritis, shin splints with pain, TBI, bilateral knee conditions, bilateral ankle conditions, bilateral shoulder/arm conditions, bilateral wrist conditions, and bilateral elbow conditions, are not service-connected.,The VA examiners found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's claimed disabilities and his military service.