Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic pneumonia, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, neck disorder, osteopenia of the bilateral hands, wrists, hips, ankles and feet, and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine has been denied. The Board found no current disability related to any of these conditions at the time of filing or during the pendency of his claim.,The Veteran's assertions regarding in-service injuries were not credible due to a significant lapse in time between service and post-service medical treatment, as well as inconsistencies with contemporaneous records.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, and major depressive disorder with PTSD caused a need for regular aid and attendance on a daily basis. The Board found that SMC based on this need was warranted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current cervical spine, lumbar spine, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, or left upper extremity radiculopathy disability. Hypertension and an acquired psychological disorder are diagnosed but the Board cannot establish service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity have all been denied.,There is no evidence of a current disability in any of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and arthritis, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or continuity of symptomatology since service. The Veteran's claims are based on his in-service noise exposure and work-related activities, but the Board did not find a causal relationship between these factors and his current conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left and right carpal tunnel syndrome as they were already pending under a Higher-Level Review before the AOJ.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hand conditions and anterior palate paresthesia have been granted, with a compensable rating of 10% assigned for each condition.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death, as it does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these appeals.

The Veteran's right shoulder and wrist sprains are rated at the maximum allowable under VA rating criteria, with no additional ratings warranted based on functional loss or other factors.,The Veteran's left ankle sprain is currently rated at 10 percent prior to April 26, 2024, and 30 percent thereafter. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, as his current ratings reflect the impairment caused by these conditions.

The Board has remanded four issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right and left hand disabilities manifesting in pain. The AOJ is directed to obtain clarification from the Veteran regarding his VA treatment records and attempt to obtain private treatment records. Additionally, a new examination is required for each issue.

The Veteran's right and left wrist strains have been rated at 10 percent, but the Board found no evidence of ankylosis or functional equivalent thereof to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's left wrist condition, characterized by severe ankylosis and loss of use, is now rated at 60 percent effective January 14, 1997.

The Board has denied service connection for right wrist, left wrist, and cervical spine disabilities due to the lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral foot disability (claimed as flatfeet), sleep apnea, and skin condition are remanded.,The Board has denied service connection for right wrist, left wrist, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities due to the lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral foot disability (claimed as flatfeet), sleep apnea, and skin condition are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities, and various evaluations for his lower extremity radiculopathies were denied. The Veteran's dominant wrist condition was also denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.,Service connection for fibromyalgia was not granted as there was no diagnosis of this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable disability rating for PFB have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current wrist sprain, right hand sprain, or PFB are related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions have been readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence, resulting in their grant.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected.,Obstructive sleep apnea, right forearm supination and pronation impairment, right forearm limitation of extension, and right forearm compartment syndrome with crush injury with fasciotomy are all granted as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's CTS of the right upper extremity is currently rated at 30 percent, and his CTS of the left upper extremity is rated at 20 percent. The Board denied entitlement to higher disability ratings for these conditions.

The appeal to reopen the claim for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury is granted. The appeal as to entitlement to service connection for melanoma is denied.