Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right hand and wrist, as well as a neck disability, both secondary to his service-connected residuals of an injury of the right hand and wrist. The RO had previously granted service connection for these disabilities but did not consider them on a secondary basis.

The Board finds that the veteran incurred or aggravated degenerative changes of the cervical spine in service and granted service connection for this condition. The veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, so service connection is denied. For low back pain with compression fracture, L3, the evaluation was increased to 20 percent prior to October 15, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, cervical spine disability, headaches, and ganglion cyst of the wrist. The appeals were based on direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability, characterized by degenerative joint disease with extensive degeneration of the scaphoid bone and a degenerative cyst in the lunate, is service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left and right wrist disabilities do not warrant a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was not incurred in or related to her active military service and denied her claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for swelling of the hands, fingers and wrists as secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine disability was granted with a 40% rating. However, the prostatitis claim did not result in any change in rating.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for residuals of a right wrist fracture, but denied any increase in the rating for residuals of a right ankle sprain.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities for right wrist, bilateral shin splints, hemorrhoids, right elbow disability, or pseudofolliculitis barbae. Therefore, service connection is denied for all issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, and granted a 10% disability rating for residuals of a pilonidal cyst.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left wrist disorder or acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for both the right shoulder disability and left wrist disability, which were previously denied in October 1996. The RO entered a new rating decision in April 2002 that addressed these issues.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for her hypothyroidism and left wrist disability. The VA found that the appellant did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on her current symptoms.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection as his current left upper extremity neurologic disorder is not related to his in-service shell fragment wound, and there is no evidence linking de Quervain's disease or carpal tunnel syndrome to his service.

The veteran's appeal is for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral wrists and arthritis of the right hand. The Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date for additional VA compensation benefits based on a dependent spouse.

The veteran's service-connected right wrist disability, including the postoperative scar and residual ganglionectomy, was evaluated at a 20% rating effective from January 28, 1994.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 10 percent for the veteran's service-connected left shoulder impingement and right wrist CTS, effective from September 2, 1997.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected status post fractures of the left and right fifth metacarpals, finding that there was no evidence of ankylosis or other conditions warranting a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome resulted in moderate incomplete paralysis, and granted a 30 percent rating.