Wrist & hand Board decisions

The veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist injury residuals is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 30 percent for residuals of a right wrist injury, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's neuropathy in the hands and wrists is etiologically related to his service-connected cervical spine disability, warranting a grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the appellant for VA examinations to determine the severity of his service-connected right and left wrist disabilities.

The VA determined that there is no evidence linking the veteran's C-6 radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his heart disease and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The VA denied initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's right and left hand shell fragment wound scars with posttraumatic degenerative joint disease of the wrist, finding that his conditions did not warrant such higher ratings based on the current evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral wrist tendonitis and human papillomavirus warts as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there was no evidence linking the current condition to a wrist injury in service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's left wrist disability, which is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The criteria for favorable ankylosis in 20 degrees to 30 degrees dorsiflexion have been met.

The Board has granted service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to the veteran's right thumb and right hand conditions.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's nonunion fracture of the scaphoid bone of the right wrist, finding that this condition is analogous to favorable ankylosis and warrants such a rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic skin disorder, residuals of shrapnel wounds to lower extremities, and an increased evaluation for residuals of fracture of right wrist. The issues were all found to be denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date for service connection were denied. The RO granted service connection for a right hand disability as secondary to a right wrist disability, but the Board found no evidence of entitlement prior to September 28, 2000.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a fractured left wrist is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the September 2001 VA examination. The case must be returned for further development, including scheduling the veteran for a pertinent VA examination and considering all submitted evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right wrist fracture was granted, with a current evaluation of 30 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist and ankle disabilities due to a lack of current disability evidence in either wrist or ankle. The veteran's testimony regarding his symptoms was not considered competent evidence.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left upper extremity disorder during active duty and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.