Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist fracture are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his mental health conditions and the severity of his right wrist disability.

The Board dismissed all service connection claims for various shoulder, wrist, ankle, and spine disorders. The claim for a headache disorder was reopened based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran. Secondary service connection was granted for migraine headaches related to PTSD. Service connection was established for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his disabilities and active service, including conceded toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities, as secondary to a service-connected disability. The case will be reviewed with an adequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right wrist and back conditions due to a lack of a VA examination, as these conditions may be related to service. The Veteran's motor vehicle accidents during in-service training are considered part of his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot condition, left ankle condition, and right foot condition. Service connection was denied for a right ankle condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and generalized osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's specific phobia, situational tight spaces, is not productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The right thumb arthritis does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection on the left shoulder, cervical spine, right wrist, and TBI have been denied.,The May 2021 rating decision was found to contain CUE in assigning initial ratings of 20% for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist and elbow, as well as for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as he did not file a timely substantive appeal following the issuance of a September 2019 Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left and right wrist cysts, neck disorder, back disorder, right arm and elbow nerve disorder, and hepatitis B are remanded due to the need for additional records and medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and/or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including arthritis, is granted as service-connected. The Board also found that the Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral shoulder disabilities are related to his in-service symptoms but not directly connected to service due to aggravation of pre-existing conditions. Service connection for pes planus was granted, while service connection for plantar fasciitis and athlete's foot is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no final decision can be made on the merits of the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right extremity carpal tunnel syndrome due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active duty service.,Additionally, the Board has also remanded the claim for service connection for COPD (claimed as breathing issues), due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service-connected psychiatric disability and its impact on the claimed ankle, carpal tunnel syndrome, foot, cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, and right knee disabilities.,Specifically, a VA examination will be conducted to determine if any of these disabilities are related to or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disorder, hepatitis C, back disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding treatment records and the need for additional medical opinions. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disability, including arthritis, as there was no current diagnosis or functional impairment due to the condition during the appeal period.

The Veteran's request to reopen the finally disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for adjustment disorder with anxiety is dismissed. The request to reopen the finally disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ventricular hypertrophy/cardiomegaly-left atrial enlargement was granted with an effective date of February 1, 2010. The claims for increased ratings for left carpal tunnel syndrome and right carpal tunnel syndrome were also granted with effective dates of December 1, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The left wrist disability remains at a 10 percent rating, GERD received a 60 percent rating from March 6, 2020, and the painful abdominal scar continues to be rated as noncompensable.