Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral wrist conditions, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral wrist tendonitis are related to her active-duty service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for all issues related to the service-connected conditions listed, including PTSD, low back disability, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right foot and left foot disabilities, hip limitations, wrist ganglion cyst, scar on the right wrist, allergic rhinitis, sciatic radicular pain of the left lower extremity, shoulder disability, and traumatic brain injury. As a result, all appeals are dismissed.

The appeal regarding an increased rating for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is dismissed. The effective date for service connection of the condition remains December 8, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted with an effective date of June 4, 2019. The Board found that the effective date should be prior to June 4, 2019, based on the correction of his military records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neurological disabilities and tendon rupture.

Your increased ratings claims for service-connected left shoulder and right wrist disabilities are dismissed as they are currently pending under the legacy appeals system.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist strain, right wrist strain, left hand trigger finger, right hand trigger finger, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service activities that may have contributed to his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome and migraines, require additional medical examination to properly assess their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist and left ankle disorders, but the right foot disorder claim is remanded due to lack of development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied.,Effective dates prior to April 16, 2009, are not warranted for the awards of service connection or increased ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various upper extremity and lower extremity disabilities, including those related to his service-connected left foot joint pain, right foot joint pain, and lumbosacral strain, have been denied due to the Veteran failing to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Veteran has been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities since December 21, 2013. The Board grants TDIU from December 21, 2013 to July 26, 2018.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service records are incomplete and remands for further efforts to obtain these records. The issues of service connection remain on appeal.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including due to an undiagnosed illness and other disabilities. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 22, 2021 and increased ratings for CLL and left wrist osteoarthritis were denied. The Veteran was not granted an earlier effective date for his service connection claims due to lack of formal or informal claims within a year prior to the filing dates. His CLL is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 7703, with no symptoms noted during the appeal period. His left wrist osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Codes 5003-5215.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left wrist, right wrist, and back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for common peroneal nerve dysfunction and carpal tunnel syndrome in both lower and upper extremities, finding no evidence of a nexus to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including recurrent hidradenitis suppurative and perirectal abscesses, along with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has found errors in the duty to assist and remands for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA examinations.