Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a cervical spine condition, right wrist sprain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and right arm numbness due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist disability, right wrist disability, low back disability, vertigo, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are dismissed because the Veteran did not timely file a notice of disagreement. The claim for dental caps is denied as there is no current evidence of a dental disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from October 16, 2009 is granted.,The initial rating claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and spinal stenosis are dismissed as moot due to the grant of a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral flatfoot and GERD have been dismissed as they are not addressed in the rating decisions on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for allergic rhinitis has been denied, with a current 10% rating assigned.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for each of his claimed orthopedic conditions, and there is no evidence to support a finding that any such disabilities are related to service.,Service connection was denied for all of the Veteran's orthopedic complaints as they were not shown to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to failure to comply with previous directives regarding verification of his address and scheduling of VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various disabilities due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2023 due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for high cholesterol is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied because the evidence does not show the presence of a current disability that meets the definition of a hearing loss disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's vertigo has been granted service connection, with the Board finding it plausible that his symptoms began during service and have continued since then.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis is granted but an increased rating beyond 10 percent is denied as there are no polyps present. The current disability more nearly approximates a 10 percent rating based on hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates.,The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for tendonitis of the right and left wrists remains denied, with the Board finding that the evidence does not support ankylosis or loss of use of the hands.,The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for tendonitis of the right and left wrists remains denied, with the Board finding that the evidence does not support ankylosis or loss of use of the hands.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including right shoulder, elbow, and ankle disorders due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection in all five issues, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Service connection is denied for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), neck disability, left upper extremity nerve condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, restless leg syndrome, left knee disability, anxiety, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, intestinal disability, hemorrhoids, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability.,Service connection is denied for neck disability. Service connection is remanded for entitlement to service connection for anxiety, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, intestinal disability, hemorrhoids, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on his right wrist disability and RSD have been dismissed due to withdrawals by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist strain and left wrist strain, and awarded a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability. The claim for a higher rating for left knee limitation of motion is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim. The initial rating for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome prior to April 22, 2023 is denied. A separate 20 percent rating is granted for limitation of extension of the left knee. An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee retropatellar pain syndrome (limitation of flexion) from April 22, 2023 is denied but a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260 is granted. The Veteran's right wrist strain disability remains at the maximum schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, valvular heart disease, hypertension, left wrist condition, right wrist condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, neck condition, right arm condition, left arm condition, sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, back condition, bowel condition, headaches, and bilateral flatfoot for further adjudication due to a failure to provide notice of the right to a hearing as provided by 38 C.F.R. �� 3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's left wrist disability, including a fracture and nonunion of the scaphoid bone, is rated at 20 percent effective September 1, 2014. The Veteran's left wrist scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of migraines and right wrist sprain as untimely.