Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome and denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, defective vision of the left eye, and a chronic back disorder were all denied. The claim for service connection for a left wrist disorder was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome, residuals of a left wrist fracture, and recurrent lumbosacral strain.

The Board found that the veteran's neurological disorders, including peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cubital tunnel syndrome, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran incurred carpal tunnel syndrome during service and currently suffers from it, granting her claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, back injury residuals, left wrist injury residuals, and left index finger injury residuals. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred in or are related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear disease, hearing loss disability, degenerative joint disease of the glenohumeral joint, bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, and residuals of a right wrist injury. The evidence does not support the presence of these conditions during or after military service.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the veteran's right wrist fusion with scar, finding that it warrants such an increase based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of March 1, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for carpal tunnel syndrome of both wrists, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, attributable to his active service and there is no evidence of a bilateral wrist disorder related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome with hand numbness, a right shoulder disorder, a right hand disorder, a skin disorder, a blood disorder, and memory loss, are not shown to have been caused by any incident of service, including as secondary to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the thoracolumbar spine and assigned a 20 percent disability rating. Service connection was denied for bilateral knee disorder, left hand disorder, bilateral wrist disorder, and right ear otitis media and externa.

The veteran's postoperative residuals of a left wrist fracture are rated at 30 percent, effective March 3, 1992. The initial evaluation for his left carpal tunnel syndrome remains at 20 percent.

The Board has denied all the veteran's claims for service connection, finding that none of his claimed conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability, which includes laceration of the right (dominant) wrist and third and fourth fingers, warrants a 30 percent evaluation based on moderate incomplete paralysis of the median nerve. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for various service-connected conditions have been granted, with the highest rating of 20 percent assigned for his left shoulder disability.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling, and he has additional disabilities that independently rate at 60 percent or more. He is not in need of regular aid and attendance but is substantially confined to his dwelling due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not of such severity as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment, and therefore the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.