Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia), headaches, traumatic brain injury, obstructive sleep apnea, knee disorders, foot disorders, ankle disorders, elbow disorders, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, hand disorders, wrist disorders, lumbar spine disorders, shin disorders, cold injury disorders, upper extremity cold injury disorders. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis for these conditions during service or within one year of discharge and thus could not establish service connection.

The Veteran's low back disability, left wrist arthritis, and hypertension have been granted service connection. The low back disability is directly related to the in-service motorcycle accident. Left wrist arthritis is presumed due to continuous symptomatology since service. Hypertension has been aggravated by chronic pain from other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal of the December 2018 SOC is reinstated, and his claims for service connection are decided on their merits.

The Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is related to an in-service injury, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted an extension of a temporary total rating for convalescence for the Veteran's right wrist disability through December 31, 2017. A 30 percent rating was also granted for right wrist tendonitis prior to April 1, 2020. However, a higher than 30 percent rating for right wrist ankylosis from April 1, 2020 onwards is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's right wrist condition is being reviewed again to determine if it is related to service or secondary to his service-connected right shoulder strain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding her left shoulder, ankle, headache, elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to unresolved issues related to service connection, including exposure to environmental hazards during the Gulf War. The Veteran's mental health conditions and musculoskeletal disabilities are also under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist degenerative arthritis and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) have been granted. The claim of service connection for dermatitis, to include as secondary to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and right wrist sprain are being remanded for additional evaluations due to incomplete medical records and the need for updated opinions considering recent EMG results.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and DMII were reopened due to new evidence. The right ankle disability appeal was dismissed as the benefit sought has been granted in full. Service connection for dyslipidemia was denied because it is not a qualifying disability for VA purposes. Other issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left wrist disability and tinnitus are decided as follows: The claim for a left wrist disability is denied, while the claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss or service connection for right wrist tendinitis, as her conditions are not related to service.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of August 3, 2016 for the award of service connection for left wrist ganglion cyst removal. The Veteran's claim was timely filed within one year after his separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including right knee and bilateral hip disabilities, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The claim for left wrist disability is reopened but denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since August 9, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of left wrist disability and service connection for bilateral pes planus are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist rheumatoid arthritis and service connection for a right shoulder disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.