Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and denied service connection for left wrist rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for fatigue, traumatic brain injury (TBI), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left wrist disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity as there was no evidence to support a current diagnosis or that these conditions were related to service.

The Board dismissed several accrued benefits claims related to increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a higher initial disability rating of 20 percent for gastrectomy residuals and 10 percent for gastrectomy scars, but denied higher ratings for hypertension, tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and service connection for an enlarged prostate, GERD, cervical spine pain, and right wrist pain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbar spine disability, prostate condition, bilateral eye disability, and obstructive sleep apnea, to correct pre-decisional errors in obtaining VA treatment records and a necessary medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle, knee, wrist, and hand pain due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities in these areas.

The Board granted the readjudication of service connection for diabetes, but denied or remanded other claims based on a lack of new and relevant evidence or due to incomplete medical records.

The Veteran was granted increased ratings for right carpal tunnel syndrome and left ankle disability, but the rating for his psychiatric disability was denied.

The appeal seeking service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities as well as right CTS was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the notice of disagreement.

The Board remands the claims for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to December 7, 2010, for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome due to a need for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for various disabilities due to untimely and improper Notice of Disagreement submissions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for Meniere's Disease, a back disability, and bilateral wrist tendonitis to obtain additional VA opinions.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of carpal tunnel in both wrists, as the earliest possible effective date was already assigned based on the date the claim was received.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple conditions, including headaches, PTSD, facial scarring, a left ankle condition, and others.

The Board denied service connection for a left wrist disability, right wrist disability, and an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for rheumatoid arthritis in the feet/toes, hand/fingers and wrist, bilateral due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's attempts to appeal rating decisions due to untimeliness of the appeals.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, as well as increased ratings for certain service-connected conditions.