Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome with an effective date of September 14, 1999. The appeal is not about service connection but rather about the effective date.

The veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left ankle, right foot, left hip, and bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The VA examination did not diagnose any of these conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic skin disorder other than pseudofolliculitis barbae, and the veteran did not have residuals of his fractured left index finger or base of thumb that met the criteria for compensable ratings under VA regulations.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to the conditions treated during service, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher level of special monthly compensation at a rate greater than 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114(l), to include loss of use of the arms and legs.

The VA denied an initial compensable rating for residuals of a left wrist shrapnel wound, finding that the veteran's range of motion was almost normal and there were no objective signs of pain or other functional impairment.

The veteran's left wrist condition is rated at 30 percent, and his left knee conditions are each rated at 10 percent. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right wrist scar does not warrant a compensable disability rating under either the old or new VA Rating Schedule criteria. The veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for his right shoulder impingement syndrome with resection of the distal clavicle remains denied.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to pneumonia, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The appeal for accrued benefits is also denied as there were no pending claims at the time of the veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim for hearing loss disability due to a lack of current VA audiological examination. The other issues remain under consideration.

The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left wrist is being remanded due to procedural deficiencies in VCAA notice.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability, cellulitis of the hands, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not incurred in service. However, it granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder with a 30% rating and assigned a noncompensable rating for shrapnel wound residuals.

The Board has denied the appellant's attempts to reopen his claims of service connection for migraine headache disorder, personality disorder, and arthritis of wrists, knees, and ankles. The evidence submitted does not meet the criteria for reopening these claims.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral wrist, right fifth finger, and left little finger fracture residuals.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his periostitis of the right and left shins, residuals of a left wrist injury, and hiatal hernia have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.,The current evaluations assigned for each disability remain at 10 percent.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for post-operative residuals of deQuervain's disease of the left wrist, finding that her condition did not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The RO is instructed to arrange for the veteran to undergo gynecological and orthopedic examinations.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his right hand disabilities was denied. His combined evaluation is currently at 60 percent, with separate ratings for Muscle Groups VIII and IX.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a fractured right wrist, with scars, foreign body under the skin, and abrasions of the upper forearm. The initial disability rating for his service-connected right ulnar neuropathy remains at 10 percent.