Wrist & hand decisions — 2026

The Veteran's hypertension, acquired psychiatric disorder (including alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptoms disorder and depressive disorder), lateral epicondylitis of the right elbow, left wrist pain with carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist pain with carpal tunnel syndrome, sleep apnea, tension headaches, and chronic bronchitis have been granted service connection.,The Veteran's chronic bronchitis was not manifest during service and is not related to his active service.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being issued.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate statement of reasons or bases for the decision regarding a higher initial rating for left upper extremity carpal tunnel. The Veteran's symptoms and findings from the March 2022 VA examination need further clarification.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for service connection for right and left wrist pain as the NODs were untimely filed, more than one year after the August 2024 rating decision denying these conditions.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for service-connected left and right carpal tunnel syndrome are being remanded due to an inadequate VA examination report that did not address the extent of her functional impairment related to pain.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected wrist and ankle fractures due to inadequate VA examinations conducted in November 2020. The examinations did not include evaluations for any neurological manifestations, which are relevant to the Veteran's complaints.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral eye disability, a left knee disability, and a right wrist disability have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal of these issues prior to the promulgation of a decision.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, a left shoulder disability, and a right knee disability are being remanded as there is a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after a prior denial. The Board finds that VA examinations and medical opinions are necessary to properly determine entitlement to service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, back disability, and right wrist disability due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's lay testimony regarding onset during service and continuity of symptomatology since service is considered.

The Veteran's temporary total rating for convalescence following his February 2020 ulnar nerve surgery is granted due to the need for at least one month of post-operative convalescence.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted service connection. The claims for a left wrist cyst, left wrist scar, and right hip disability are remanded. The claim for sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to January 13, 2023 for service connection of right wrist condition and right ulnar neuropathy as these conditions were not shown to have been present before the receipt of his supplemental claim on that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea on a secondary basis were denied. The Veteran was granted an initial 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. Claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine pain, left shoulder tendinitis (from August 9, 2023), left wrist sprain, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's conditions began during active service, manifested within one year after discharge from service, or were noted during service with continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for travel expenses to the Reno VAMC on May 18, 2022 was granted as he could not have received his primary care at a closer VA facility.

The Veteran's bilateral wrist condition is related to his military service, and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sinusitis, rhinitis, prostate condition, sleep apnea, vertigo, hypertension, back condition, shoulder conditions, elbow conditions, wrist conditions, hip conditions, knee conditions, and ankle/foot conditions. The reasons provided are that the evidence does not support a nexus between these conditions and service or any other relevant factors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to procedural errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SAH or SHA grant eligibility due to lack of qualifying conditions such as ALS, blindness in both eyes, full thickness burns, loss of use of upper extremities, or permanent total disability.

The Board has found that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by the AOJ, as there are no VA medical examinations or opinions for the claimed disabilities. The Veteran's private medical opinion supports a finding of service connection.