Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a rating more than 10 percent for right wrist sprain, but remanded claims for left knee disorder, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and vertigo.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left wrist fracture with Dequervain's Syndrome and left wrist Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied increased initial ratings for right and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, finding the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left upper extremity radial nerve impingement, right upper extremity radial nerve impingement, left wrist triangular fibrocartilaginous complex injury, chronic sinusitis, and migraines associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI.

The Board granted earlier effective dates and initial ratings for muscle tension headaches, sleep apnea, and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, but denied a higher rating for sleep apnea and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress. The Board also granted an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and denied a higher rating.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the initial ratings of various conditions and denied increased ratings, except for a 30 percent rating for Crohn's disease starting January 13, 2022.

The Board denied ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for left shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, and right wrist disorder. However, a 70 percent rating was granted for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome for further development, including a VA examination to determine their nature and etiology.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain, cervicogenic headaches, right wrist sprain, left elbow disability, right knee degenerative arthritis and right knee strain, and left knee strain. However, it denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type I, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension, and remanded claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, right forearm carpal tunnel syndrome, left forearm CTS, a right elbow disability, and a left wrist disability.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome to obtain a medical opinion on its etiology.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial increased rating for a left knee strain and a left ankle disability, as well as service connection claims for various conditions due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for right wrist and left-hand burn scar residuals but denied a compensable rating for facial burn scar residuals.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a heart disorder to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the service connection claims for a left foot condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, lower abdomen condition with pain, right ankle condition, and left ankle condition due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board found that the veteran's Notice of Disagreement (NOD) to the August 2013 rating decision was timely filed, granting the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various joint disabilities, including arthritis, to obtain additional evidence and a more thorough examination.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's left and right upper extremity nerve disabilities, both considered as chronic diseases due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his military service in Vietnam.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an extension of time to file a Board Appeal request, finding that her requests were not timely and no good cause was shown.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding no evidence of a current qualifying disability. The other claims were remanded for further development.