Wrist & hand decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete performance of requested development. The Veteran served in Vietnam and was exposed to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left wrist degenerative arthritis, left knee disorder, and left hip disorder due to deficiencies in prior examinations and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to new and material evidence. The claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, back disorder, neck disorder, right leg disorder, and left leg disorder are all considered.,Service connection has not been established for any of the conditions listed above.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist arthritis and left wrist arthritis as a progression of the already service-connected right wrist TFCC tear and left chronic third and fourth finger extensor digitorum tear, respectively. A rating of 70 percent is assigned for PTSD prior to December 21, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations, as well as further development of his Southwest Asia exposure.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and vision disability have been dismissed. Her back disability has been granted service connection. The remaining issues of left knee tendonitis with knee instability, right knee tendonitis with knee instability, skin condition, and acid reflux are remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her previously denied claims for thoracolumbar spine strain with sciatica, right wrist condition, PTSD, fibromyalgia, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been granted. Service connection is being remanded for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disorder, left eye disorder, deviated septum, and chronic sinusitis are not service-connected.,Further development is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right wrist fracture residuals is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2017 VA examination and the lack of a subsequent VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection for low back muscle strain, left knee condition, and right wrist condition. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran had nonunion or malunion of the ulna, which is necessary for rating under DC 5211. The case will be reviewed with an appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, left hand, low back disability, vocal cord polyps (claimed as upper respiratory problems), and allergic rhinitis are granted. The claim for service connection for asthma is remanded due to new evidence received.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral heel spurs are remanded due to new evidence received.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis from August 1, 2022, is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. The effective date of this award is August 1, 2022.

The Veteran's claim for a separate and increased rating for resolved thrombosis residuals has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a left upper extremity (LUE) disability, to include neuropathy and carpal tunnel.

The Board denied service connection for tinea pedis, bilateral hearing loss, and CTS of the right wrist due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran is granted a separate rating for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to his service-connected right wrist disability, but the issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for the right wrist disability remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability. The claims for service connection of the left shoulder, cervical spine, back, and right wrist disabilities are remanded due to incomplete verification of service dates and need for additional medical examination in context of combat exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee, shoulder, wrist, and hip disabilities. The issues of increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions are related to military service.