Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right wrist disability has been withdrawn.,Service connection for left knee, right knee, and left ankle disabilities have all been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the submission of additional issues not addressed in previous AOJ decisions. The TERA exposure and development is also required.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 6260, and no higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable (0 percent) based on the average pure tone thresholds in both ears being within the range of level I hearing impairment.,Prior to February 14, 2020, the Veteran's dermatitis was rated at a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating. Effective from February 14, 2020, it is rated as 30 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 7806.,Prior to June 19, 2017, the Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome was rated at a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating. Effective from June 19, 2017, it is rated as 40 percent disabling under Diagnostic Codes 5215-8515.,Prior to June 19, 2017, the Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome was rated at a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating. Effective from June 19, 2017, it is rated as 40 percent disabling under Diagnostic Codes 5215-8515.,Prior to June 19, 2017, the Veteran's left knee arthritis was rated at a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating. Effective from August 30, 2012, it is rated as 40 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5260.,Prior to June 19, 2017, the Veteran's right knee arthritis was rated at a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating. Effective from August 30, 2012, it is rated as 40 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5260.,The Veteran's arthroscopic scars in the left knee were granted service connection effective from December 9, 2008, and no earlier date has been established.,All other issues have been denied.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to PTSD alone, effective June 28, 2020.,SMC at the housebound rate was granted as of July 28, 2020, based on his service-connected disabilities combined independently rating at 60 percent or more.,Prior to July 28, 2020, SMC was not warranted due to insufficiently rated service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are granted due to his service-connected PTSD, which is rated as 70 percent disabling since June 16, 2016. The additional disabilities do not meet the criteria for a single disability rated at 100%.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right wrist tendinitis prior to February 13, 2020, finding that his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis of the left hip, and osteoarthritis of the right hip as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. Service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist is also granted.

The Veteran's motion for revision of the November 2017 rating decision that assigned an initial noncompensable rating for right wrist scaphoid, triquetrum fracture based on CUE is denied. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the assignment of a noncompensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right wrist tenosynovitis, left wrist tenosynovitis, left CTS, and right CTS due to a failure to obtain all of the appellant's service treatment records.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received with respect to the Veteran's claims for residuals of frostbite of the right foot and left foot, warranting readjudication.,Service connection is granted for left wrist arthritis and right shoulder arthritis. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of frostbite of the bilateral feet.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple neurological and peripheral neuropathy disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, as well as a left wrist disability, have been denied. The appeal for residuals of right wrist fracture has also been denied.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy, was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus could not be granted presumptive service connection under the PACT Act.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was also denied as there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary link between the condition and service.

The Veteran's left ankle condition, painful conditions of the upper extremities, and skin condition are all remanded for further examination and medical opinion.,The Board is unable to make a determination on these claims without additional information or evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neurological disability of the right upper extremity, including carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy, began during active service and is at least as likely as not related to military service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that new evidence submitted after the November 2017 denial supports the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, as well as bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, to include as secondary to a cervical spine condition. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions prior to May 19, 2016 did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for DEA benefits due to his combined rating of 20 percent at most.

The Board has granted service connection for dry eyes, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder), a left hand condition (carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to cervical condition), and a right hand condition (carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to cervical condition).

The Board has dismissed the appeals for readjudicating service connection claims for various conditions, as the underlying merits of these claims have already been adjudicated by the AOJ and the appeal is moot due to finality or lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to the Veteran's right wrist condition. The evidence supports a finding that both conditions are related to military service.