Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an increased rating for painful left-hand and hand/wrist scars, finding that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and type II diabetes mellitus, but granted an effective date of October 23, 2023, for special monthly compensation based on the need of aid and attendance of another.

The Board granted service connection for dermatosis and denied the claims for service connection for a chronic cervicothoracic pain disability, right shoulder disability, PTSD, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, ED, sleep apnea, left ulnar pain, right ulnar pain, left ring finger disability, right ankle surgery residuals with residual status post achilles enthesophyte excision, left knee disability, right knee disability, right wrist strain, and headaches.

The Board granted service connection for dermatosis and denied the claims for service connection for a chronic cervicothoracic pain disability, right shoulder disability, PTSD, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, ED, sleep apnea, left ulnar pain, right ulnar pain, left ring finger disability, right ankle surgery residuals with residual status post achilles enthesophyte excision, left knee disability, right knee disability, right wrist strain, and headaches.

The Board denied a compensable rating for migraine headaches prior to November 25, 2020, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter. The claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome were remanded.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as eye strain, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis, which are presumed to be related to the Veteran's exposure to fine particulate matter while serving in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The claim for an earlier effective date was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability and there was no credible evidence that any claimed condition began during or is related to active duty.

The claims for increased ratings for carpal tunnel release residuals are remanded to obtain a medical opinion addressing the ameliorative effects of medication and whether there is any overlapping symptomatology.

The Veteran's service connection claim for insomnia disorder was granted, while claims for other conditions including left and right hand disorders, vision decrease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes, wrist disorders were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand disorder and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board granted an effective date of April 19, 2020, but no earlier, for the establishment of service connection for a left wrist disability, a left shoulder disability, and right elbow disabilities (based on limitation of flexion and supination/pronation), while denying such claims for other foot and finger conditions.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, granted service connection for a left shoulder strain and an initial rating of 100 percent for right knee instability s/p ACL reconstruction, and remanded claims related to adjustment disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

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

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

The Board granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand based on new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist strain and remanded the claims for increased ratings for incomplete paralysis of the left and right sciatic nerves.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a left wrist disability, to include De Quervain's syndrome, due to a duty to assist error in verifying the Veteran's status during periods of July and August 2009 and obtaining an adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for left and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as a 20 percent disability rating for both left and right foot plantar fasciitis. The claim for chronic hemorrhoids was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for female sexual arousal disorder and an increased rating greater than 10 percent for chronic left wrist sprain and carpal instability.