Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed as she has withdrawn her appeals regarding these conditions.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's right wrist and cervical spine disabilities have been remanded for further development as the Board found that additional evidence is needed to determine if higher ratings are warranted.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted. The claims for right wrist condition, left wrist condition, and bilateral toe fungus are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities due to a lack of meaningful examination opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset of symptoms. The AOJ is instructed to obtain VA treatment records and any SSA disability benefits records, schedule new examinations with appropriate examiners, and provide the Veteran with proper notification.

The Board has found pre-decisional duty to assist errors for all the claims on appeal, including the increased rating claim for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with cervical radiculopathy of the left. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not result in loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands or feet.

The Board has decided the service connection for sinusitis, but remanded the claims for residuals of traumatic brain injuries and right wrist/hand conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, right hand disability, right wrist disability, and residuals of jungle rot are remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral wrist fracture residuals and painful scars do not warrant an extra-schedular rating or a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral shoulder, ankle, elbow, wrist, cervical spine, and hip disabilities. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.,Service connection was also denied for tinnitus.

The Veteran's neurobehavioral effects, including carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, dizziness, vertigo, autonomic neuropathy, anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, may be related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service. The Board finds a need for further examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of recurrent pancreatitis or left wrist disability, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete service records and unreadable medical documentation. The AOJ is instructed to verify her periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA), obtain any missing personnel records, and provide the Veteran another opportunity to submit additional medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right-hand disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome. The issues on appeal include service connection for a right-hand disability and secondary service connection for that disability to his neck disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a left thumb disability, have been denied. The claim for TDIU has also been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome began during service and continues to this day, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, but his combined rating is 40%, which allows for referral to the Director of Compensation Services for extra-schedular consideration. The Board found that while the Veteran's disabilities cause some functional impairment and impact his ability to perform strenuous jobs, they do not preclude all substantially gainful employment based on his educational and occupational history.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist disability began during active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received for the claims of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis of bilateral upper extremities, and osteoarthritis of bilateral lower extremities. The claims are therefore reopened. Further evaluation is needed to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, pes planus, right wrist disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's pes planus was granted as related to his active service.