Wrist & hand decisions — 2026

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for left wrist and bilateral foot conditions due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

An effective date of May 28, 2023 is granted for service connection of the right wrist disability. A separate 30 percent rating for impairment of the right wrist is granted.

The Veteran's right knee instability is granted with a maximum rating of 30 percent, effective from February 24, 2018. Service connection for left wrist fracture residuals, right hip fracture residuals, and right sided rib fractures are also granted as secondary to service-connected right knee disability. A TDIU is granted effective April 2, 2025.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome with nerve damage to the hand and fingers was granted on April 6, 1984. The effective date of this grant is set at April 6, 1984.,From February 17, 2021, to October 20, 2022, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating was granted with a 50% disability rating.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for back pain, right knee injury, bilateral cervical radiculopathy, left knee disorder, left wrist disorder, and right wrist disorder. The remaining issues are remanded.

An effective date of April 21, 2021 for a 30 percent rating for impairment of left elbow supination and pronation is granted.,An effective date of October 12, 2011 for service connection of limitation of left elbow extension is granted.,An effective date of August 26, 2022 for a 10 percent rating for chronic left wrist strain is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to her not requiring personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living, a need for supervision or protection, or a need for regular or extensive instruction without which the ability to function in daily life would be seriously impaired.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective as of the date of this decision.,The Veteran has been granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's right shoulder strain, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right wrist strain, left wrist strain, right knee strain, and left knee strain are inadequate. The claims are therefore being remanded to schedule new examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, or establishing service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), deviated septum, carpal tunnel syndrome of the upper extremities, acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, and peripheral vascular disease.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran will be provided with notice of his right to a hearing before the VA.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder disabilities, upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, elbow and wrist disabilities, hand/finger disabilities, hip and knee disabilities, ankle and foot disabilities, lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, and left ear hearing loss are all denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions during or proximate to the appeal period.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's PTSD, effective April 15, 2019. The Veteran is denied entitlement to a TDIU based solely on his PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right arm disability, including her right elbow and wrist disabilities, as secondary to her service-connected right upper extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine disability. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right upper extremity radicular symptoms, including cervical radiculopathy and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, were rated at 40 percent. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence did not show complete paralysis.

The Veteran's left wrist disability is granted a 30 percent rating, effective from December 30, 2008. TDIU for the period prior to July 11, 2013, and SMC pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) are also granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from September 1, 2008 to May 20, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities making him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist disability and a left wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's current bilateral wrist conditions are related to his active duty service.