Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for gouty arthritis of the left index finger, right hand, and right and left elbows, as well as the right wrist, left wrist, and left ankle due to clear and unmistakable error in previous rating decisions. The motion to revise the January 16, 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for gouty arthritis of the right ankle, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, and left hip was denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a lack of proper notification and scheduling of VA examinations.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed due to a timely Notice of Disagreement not being filed within one year of the September 2022 rating decision. The claims for left shoulder, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for a left ring finger disability and service connection for toe disorder, sinusitis, left hand disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and low back disorder.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome to schedule a VA examination that adequately addresses the Veteran's in-service duties and post-service medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including a bilateral foot disability, bilateral wrist disability, left shoulder disability, depression, recurring umbilical hernia, hemorrhoids, bilateral hammertoes, left knee disability, right knee disability, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus type 2.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee strain but denied service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and left wrist sprain.

The Board remands the matter for the correction of an error by the AOJ in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty, specifically failing to provide notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing prior to VA's issuance of a decision.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right wrist sprain and restored a 10 percent rating for her right hip limitation of flexion effective February 1, 2024.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right wrist, right knee and bone, and left knee and bone disabilities due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and eczema, but remanded the claims for sleep apnea and a right wrist condition due to a duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder and tinnitus, remanded claims for a right wrist disability, a right ankle disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and an OSA rating.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for residuals of fractured fingers of the left hand and a left wrist disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome, to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's lung condition, to include shortness of breath, is granted service connection as a presumptive disability due to undiagnosed illness and exposure in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the claims for a bilateral hip disability and a bilateral wrist disability.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right shoulder strain with rotator cuff tear and tendinopathy, chronic right wrist strain, left knee pain and swelling, duodenal ulcer, GERD, and colon polyp with colitis. The reduction of the bronchial asthma rating from 30% to 10% was found invalid, and a separate 10% rating for allergic rhinitis was granted.

The Board finds that new and relevant evidence has been received, requiring readjudication of the claim for service connection for residuals of gunshot wound, left wrist.

The Board denied service connection for left wrist, left hip, and left knee disorders as they were not shown to be related to the Veteran's active duty or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and a compensable rating, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.