Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right wrist disabilities, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome, due to an inadequate VA examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the wrist disability claims.

The Board denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, with the exception of a 10 percent rating for right Achilles tendon rupture.

The Board denied service connection for back pain, headaches, bilateral knee pain, right hand numbness, painful joints in the right wrist, and a right shoulder condition as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for left knee and left wrist disorders, and the Board has no jurisdiction to further review his case.

The Board granted service connection for GERD, right hand arthritis, right wrist arthritis and CMC, and joint pain (other than right hand, right wrist, and bilateral knees), all claimed as due to the Veteran's Gulf War service.

The appeal for service connection and evaluation of several conditions, including left wrist condition, respiratory issues, left knee condition, PTSD, and earlier effective dates, was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and the Board has dismissed this issue.

The Board denied an increased rating for PTSD and remanded the claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital syndrome left hand, and a right shoulder condition.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity, a back disorder, and an initial rating greater than 10 percent for a right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with laxity. However, it granted a 60 percent rating for dermographism with manifestations of chronic cholinergic urticaria from November 29, 2018, and a 50 percent initial rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various musculoskeletal and psychiatric conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than the currently assigned 10 percent or 50 percent.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal for service connection for various disorders as the VA Form 10182 was untimely.

The Board granted the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded from a March 2024 rating decision that granted service connection for anxiety/depression, left wrist, rhinitis, and tinnitus disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for pancreatitis, but remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), hypertension, left and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and left and right knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome to obtain further medical opinions on their etiology.

The Board granted service connection for invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast, status post bilateral mastectomy and a 10 percent initial rating for right wrist tendonitis. The appeal was denied for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity sciatica. Other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a stomach disorder, digestive disorder, neck disorder, right wrist disorder, and left hand peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's right upper extremity disability was rated at 40 percent.

The Board granted service connection for a disability characterized by low testosterone, a right wrist disability, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), but denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis was granted a rating of 40 percent, while other conditions were denied higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for a left wrist disorder, finding that the Veteran's current left wrist disorders are due to her left wrist sprain during active service.