Wrist & hand decisions — 2026

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel and ulnar neuropathy, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis have been granted a 30 percent disability rating effective April 5, 2022. The Veteran has also been awarded TDIU from August 28, 2012, and basic eligibility for DEA benefits based on permanent and total disability status.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. The left elbow disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating. Service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, bilateral knee disorder, right ankle disorder, right foot disorder, right elbow disorder, and bilateral wrist disorder were all denied.

The Veteran's sinusitis is granted as secondary to her service-connected allergic rhinitis. The increased ratings for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome are granted, with the right hand receiving a higher rating than the left. The evaluation for valvular heart disease remains at 30 percent.

The Board has decided the initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss claim, denying it. The left wrist disability claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's left wrist disability was rated as 100% disabling from September 10, 2021 to November 1, 2022 and reduced to 20% thereafter. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error requiring remand due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC), Left Wrist Degenerative Arthritis, and Bilateral Hearing Loss are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and left knee disabilities are granted, but her left wrist disability is denied. The Board finds a remand necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error before adjudicating the service connection for left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries sustained in a June 2021 motorcycle accident were not incurred in line of duty due to his own willful misconduct, and therefore, service connection for all claimed conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence of a current right wrist carpal tunnel disability. The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosis or treatment for this condition during his military service, and VA medical records do not confirm its presence either. Therefore, the claim is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist/arm disability, finding that her current symptoms are not related to an in-service injury and that she did not have a chronic condition during or after service. The Board also found no evidence of secondary service connection due to PTSD.

The appeals for service connection for bilateral knee disorders and plantar fasciitis are dismissed due to procedural defects.,Service connection for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, liver cancer, left elbow disorder, left wrist disorder, left hip disorder, and bilateral big toe disorders (claimed as arthritis) are denied.

The Board has remanded several claims due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including for new VA medical opinions on right wrist and knee conditions, right foot condition, right ankle condition, erectile dysfunction, GERD, headaches, obstructive sleep apnea, dry eye syndrome, lumbar spine condition, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for post-surgery LUE injury is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding causation.

The Board has granted service connection for a nerve impairment impacting the right upper extremity, diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome, on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted, with some issues receiving initial ratings and others being denied or remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure is granted.,Claims for cubital and carpal tunnel syndromes secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II are also granted.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, related to the Veteran's service in Okinawa, is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left hip disability, and right hip disability due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran is required to be provided with addendum opinions addressing these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service duties as a maintenance technician and aeronautical welder.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left wrist disability with ganglion cyst is dismissed. The Board grants service connection for Sjogren's syndrome, finding that the current diagnosis is at least as likely as not due to toxic exposure and/or burn pit exposure during her service in the Persian Gulf War.