Wrist & hand decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for nerve disorders of the upper extremities and shin splints to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied a compensable rating for acne, granted a 10 percent rating for asthma, and denied ratings greater than 10 percent for tinnitus, traumatic dislocation of septal cartilage, left wrist tendonitis, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative joint disease, and left ring finger and palm surgical scarring. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for left ring finger status post DIP arthrodesis and nodule excision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist strain and arthritis, as well as left knee instability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for multiple conditions to correct a duty to assist error by ensuring VA examinations are conducted.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left hip strain with limitation of flexion and denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for other left hip conditions, as well as a compensable rating for rhinitis. The claims for service connection for various additional conditions were remanded.

The Veteran's left and right carpal tunnel syndrome were granted service connection with an effective date of June 16, 2017, but no higher ratings for the conditions or their evaluations from December 29, 2020, were granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral knee disabilities, alopecia areata, and neurogenic bladder.

The Board granted service connection for a left wrist disability, manifesting as left wrist pain, based on the Veteran's credible lay statements and ongoing symptoms since service.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for COPD, lipoma disability, eye/color vision disability, liver disability, eye/perception disability, CTS of both upper extremities, neuropathy of both lower extremities as they were subject to a prohibited concurrent election and there is no remaining case or controversy.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and sinusitis, and remanded the claims for a left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral hearing loss disability, and allergic rhinitis for further development.

The Board denied all initial rating claims for various disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board dismissed the issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for depressive disorder with insomnia, service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, and service connection for left CTS due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep apnea, heartburn, and a burn scar on the left upper extremity due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for the Veteran's low back disability and denied an increased rating for the right wrist disability.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including hypertension and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an earlier effective date for chronic post-traumatic headaches and a higher rating for PTSD with TBI.

The appeal for compensation of a right thumb disability has been remanded. The Board needs more information to decide if the Veteran's surgery caused additional disabilities.

The veteran's claim for service connection of a mood disorder due to their service-connected left upper extremity complex regional pain syndrome with carpal tunnel was granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist strain and lumbosacral strain were granted.

The veteran's increased rating claims for sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right lower extremity and right carpal tunnel syndrome were granted. The claim for the left lower extremity was denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, left hand condition, right hand condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, and right wrist condition were denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, was remanded.