Wrist & hand decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right CTS, bilateral RLS, and IBS due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding her conditions. The VA is required to provide an examination or opinion if there is evidence that the Veteran suffered from disease or symptoms during military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, migraines, degenerative arthritis with greater trochanteric bursitis of the right hip, sleep apnea, bladder condition, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left knee disability, right knee disability, residuals of a left foot stress fracture, residuals of a right foot stress fracture, and tinnitus. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Board has determined that the decision on appeal was not legally adequate and requires remand for further action, including obtaining a medical opinion from the CEAT regarding personal care services needs and supervision requirements. The AOJ must also provide compliant notice under 38 U.S.C. § 5104.

The Veteran's claims for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as residuals of breast cancer, have been granted with effective dates set at September 11, 2019.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed within one year of the rating decisions issued on June 25, 2024, and September 11, 2024. The Veteran did not provide good cause for the late filing.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back, left knee, right knee, left wrist, and right wrist disabilities. The claims were remanded for other issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence of record, including a lack of clinical VA and private examinations that are necessary to evaluate his service-connected disabilities under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, breathing problems, migraines, IBS, syncope with dizziness, low back disability, neck disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability are all denied as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions.,The Veteran has not been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, breathing problems, migraines, IBS, syncope with dizziness, low back or neck disabilities, or ankle, foot, knee, shoulder, or wrist disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings of the veteran's bilateral knee and left wrist disabilities as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The appellant withdrew his appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, so the cases are dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of proper notice and an inadequate medical opinion, which may affect eligibility for PCAFC benefits. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are noted but no rating or effective date is provided.

The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to May 18, 2021 is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran's scar, residual of left wrist surgery, does not warrant a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of disabling effects not considered in ratings provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.,The Veteran's left ring finger partial amputation is currently rated noncompensably disabling and no higher rating is warranted as there are no additional disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under DC 5227.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to March 18, 2019 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The medical evidence did not support his claim of being unable to work due to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left eye disability, tinnitus, lumbar spondylosis with facet arthrosis and Schmorl nodes, right wrist disability (status post ganglion cyst removal), night coughing, chest pain and recurring rib displacement, chronic sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, headache disability, bilateral pes planus, right hand disability, and left knee disability has been dismissed due to untimely filings of the Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, which is secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability, has been granted. The claims for bilateral foot and back disabilities are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and right wrist conditions due to a failure to obtain adequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for RUE radiculopathy with right-hand CTS, finding that her symptoms prior to September 21, 2012, most nearly approximated mild, incomplete paralysis and as of September 21, 2012, most nearly approximated moderate, incomplete paralysis. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or service connection in all cases.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (insomnia) is granted as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The left hip, vertigo, left wrist, left hamstring, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are remanded for further examination.