Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's initial ratings for left wrist and thumb arthritis have been granted at a 10 percent level.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right hip, left hip, left wrist, right wrist, and right hand psoriatic arthritis as they require additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection for jaw condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, bilateral flatfoot, left wrist tendinitis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist injury and fracture of the right hand are being reviewed, with a focus on whether there is evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a left shoulder disability, bilateral wrist and ankle disabilities, and a back disability have been denied. The right shoulder disability, diabetes, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded for further examination.,The Veteran was not provided with examinations to determine the current nature and etiology of his claimed conditions by VA since those in February 2013.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to specific dates are being remanded due to procedural issues and lack of formal or informal claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various wrist, ankle, knee, and elbow disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition or link to service. The claim for memory loss is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for acid reflux, sinusitis, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shin splints, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome due to insufficient evidence in the service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and issuance of a new Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hand, wrist, and right shoulder disabilities are pending.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for residuals of a left wrist injury due to new and relevant evidence received since the July 2017 decision.

The Board denied a claim for an increased rating for right wrist tenosynovitis, finding that the Veteran's condition is already reflected in the current 10% evaluation and does not warrant a higher rating based on functional loss or symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable from June 7, 2012, to December 5, 2012. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence showed he was not unemployable by reason of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service or any other condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral lower hernia, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, skeletal arthritis, sinus disorder, COPD, headaches, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, bilateral eye disorder, erectile dysfunction, or asbestosis. The Board has also found that the Veteran's service connection claims for these conditions are remanded due to outstanding in-service medical records and VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate efforts by the RO in obtaining VA treatment records from 1972 to 2000. The Veteran is asked to clarify his arthritis and neuropathy claims, and any relevant private treatment records are sought.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative joint disease of the right foot, residuals of right wrist shrapnel wound, and right forearm shell fragment wound have been granted. The Veteran is also granted a temporary increased rating for his right forearm shell fragment wound from April 29, 2010.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 70 percent from December 20, 2019. The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's right wrist degenerative arthritis was tantamount to loss of use of his right hand prior to December 20, 2019.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate for rating purposes, and therefore remanded several issues including service connection for lower back disability, bilateral wrist condition, right elbow disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and PFB. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.