Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including low back strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, eye disability, left and right elbow disability, right finger disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right hand disability, sleep disturbances, and a left hip disability. The claims were denied due to the lack of evidence supporting a link between these conditions and the Veteran's service.

The Board remands the claims for additional VA examinations to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a right wrist disorder, a right foot disorder, and an increased rating for a right ankle disability. Service connection was granted for a TMJ disorder.

The Board granted service connection for GERD, a right knee disability, a right wrist disability, a right ankle disability, gastritis, and vertigo. It denied service connection for hearing loss and left knee osteoarthritis ratings.

The Board granted a 40 percent initial disability rating for carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist, but denied an initial compensable rating for the associated left wrist scar and an initial higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, except for an earlier effective date of November 10, 2020, for service connection for GERD.

The Board granted increased ratings of 30 percent for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and spinal fusion, right wrist strain, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as of July 15, 2021. The PTSD claim was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and right CTS as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and a scar, left neck. The claims for insomnia, Dequervain's syndrome, right wrist, and Dequervain's syndrome and triangular fibrocartilaginous complex injury, left wrist, were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for PTSD, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and various other disorders due to a lack of evidence supporting their presence or relationship to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions to correct an error in providing notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of all 13 issues listed in his November 2024 notice of disagreement.

The Board remands the claim for an addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's right wrist disability during flare-ups results in functional equivalent of ankylosis.

The Board granted an effective date of October 3, 2019, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the appeals for service connection for cervical spine disability, deviated septum, hearing loss, left wrist cyst, and ulcer condition.

The Board denied increased ratings for hypertension, PTSD with MDD and insomnia disorder, tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, eczematous dermatitis of the wrists and feet, and DDD, L5-S1, with retrolisthesis. TDIU was granted as of September 22, 2015.

The Veteran withdrew the issues on appeal, and the Board dismissed the case.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left wrist disabilities due to a need for additional evidence and further medical opinion.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's right wrist disability, finding that it was functionally ankylosed in any degree of palmar flexion.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for the lumbar disorder and other conditions.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's passing in December 2023.