Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine and chronic fatigue syndrome, granted a 10 percent rating for chronic diarrhea, and remanded several other claims including those for left wrist neurological disorder, skin disorder, thyroid disorder, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and tension headaches.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, granted a 20 percent rating for chronic fatigue syndrome and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, but denied higher ratings for other conditions.

The veteran's appeal requests for extensions to file an appeal on various rating decisions were denied, and the attempted appeals are dismissed.

The Board denied increased ratings for multiple service-connected conditions and denied service connection for several additional conditions, granting service connection for headaches.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for brain tumor, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions regarding toxic exposure.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected conditions and granted SMC at the statutory housebound rate from July 5, 2023. The decision also remanded several claims related to secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded certain claims for further development.

The veteran's appeal for increased and decreased ratings for left wrist keloid was dismissed due to untimely filing.

The Board granted service connection for a left wrist disability and sleep apnea, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board denied service connection for multiple myeloma, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, cervical spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right knee scar, and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and hallux valgus. Service connection was granted for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and hallux valgus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include general anxiety disorder, and right ankle, right foot, and right wrist disabilities due to a need for additional development of the record.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, right hip strain, lumbosacral strain, right knee meniscal tear, and left wrist sprain. The claim for service connection for cervical strain was remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chest pain, a left ankle disability, right biceps tendonitis, a right groin pull, a left groin pull, and right ear hearing loss. The veteran was granted an effective date of October 4, 2023, but no earlier, for the service connection of left ear hearing loss and pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board remands the matters of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability and service connection for bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left wrist, a seizure disorder, an inguinal hernia, an acquired psychiatric disability, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board granted service connection for right and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, bilateral knee strain and left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral hip trochanteric pain syndrome, bilateral elbow strain, bilateral foot degenerative arthritis, bilateral shoulder strain, and bilateral hand strain. OSA was denied.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran, and therefore, no issues remain for appellate consideration.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of a separate disability rating and service connection for various right hand conditions due to lack of evidence supporting an earlier claim or increase in severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral carpal tunnel, hearing loss, tinnitus, and ear infections, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from June 15, 2015.

The Board granted service connection for left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the conditions were caused by the Veteran's active duty service.