Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has found that there were pre-decisional duty to assist errors and a remand is required for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for trouble sleeping, left shoulder pain, and left wrist pain. The VA was not able to obtain relevant private treatment records due to lack of notification or follow-up.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and whether it was incurred in service or due to any incident of service, including a right wrist injury with dorsal subluxation of the ulna. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's right arm neurological disorder, including carpal tunnel syndrome, is not considered to be caused by VA treatment and therefore compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities, and thus remands the cases for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her wrist disabilities have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right wrist condition and painful and weakened motion of the right hand and fingers is granted. He was previously rated at 10% for the wrist, but now receives a separate 20% rating for the hand and finger issues.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for an initial compensable rating for dermatofibrosis and service connection for ulnar abutment, left wrist due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hand numbness, chronic right ankle pain, and chronic right wrist pain due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the specific dates of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) or Inactive Duty for Training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's appeal for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claim for a right wrist disability due to incomplete service treatment records from the most recent period of active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address the Veteran's contentions regarding his right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, tarsal coalition, hallux valgus, right foot disability, and tarsal coalition, hallux valgus, left foot disability due to inadequate opinions in the July 2020 VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a right wrist condition before the Board made a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist condition, finding that there was no evidence of chronic left wrist arthritis or Kienbock's disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The preponderance of the evidence did not establish a nexus between any left wrist condition and any incident of service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, as he retired due to a post-service injury. Therefore, a TDIU rating was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, right upper extremity disability, left upper extremity disability, right lower extremity disability, and left lower extremity disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as his bilateral wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, are being remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of these conditions. The Veteran also seeks service connection for hip disabilities secondary to his knees.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination reports and failure to obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her sleep apnea, right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and cervical spine disability. The rating reduction from 10 percent to noncompensable for left lower extremity radiculopathy was improper.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist synovitis and fractures of the 2nd metacarpal of the right hand are being remanded due to inadequate medical examination in the previous rating decision.