Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has decided one issue on appeal and remanded the remaining issues for further development. Additional development is necessary, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's left wrist strain is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating based on limitation of motion. The appeal for increased evaluations was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral congenital arm and wrist deformity disorder, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition did not worsen during service. Service connection was also denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to his congenital condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left wrist peripheral neuropathy prior to October 17, 2016 due to inadequate consideration of relevant medical evidence in previous decisions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, unspecified depressive disorder, is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's neck disability (degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right arm disability (right olecranon bursitis and degenerative arthritis) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left arm disability, to include osteoarthritis of the wrist, is remanded for further development.,The Veteran's right hand disability (right elbow disability) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left hand disability (osteoarthritis of the wrist) is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is remanded to determine if it was aggravated by his third period of active duty or related to his first two periods.

The Board denied service connection for left wrist and right ankle disabilities. It also denied increased ratings for left hip arthritis, right hip extension limitation, and right hip abduction limitation.,However, the Veteran was granted a 10% rating for left hip degenerative joint disease from October 13, 2015 to January 6, 2020, and a 20% rating for right hip flexion limitation on and after September 11, 2015. The Veteran's total unemployability prior to March 6, 2018 was also remanded.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted service connection due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for cervical spine, left wrist, and lumbar spine disabilities are denied as there is no credible evidence of such injuries during service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the August 2020 remand directives and a new medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's current condition resulted from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill or similar incidence of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the Veteran's service connection claims due to conflicting information regarding his periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including right wrist, left wrist, neck, right shoulder, and back conditions, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected right wrist disability and PTSD have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, resulting in the grant of TDIU on an extraschedular basis from July 31, 2006 to September 4, 2017.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining treatment records and providing examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney stones was denied in July 2015, and the claim has been reopened due to new evidence. The Board finds that there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service.,Service connection for IBS was granted in July 2015 with an effective date of November 19, 2014. The Veteran's appeal regarding the effective date is dismissed as untimely.

The Board has denied service connection for all of the claimed disabilities as they are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's left wrist and thumb disorder was rated at 10 percent prior to September 24, 2008, and at 40 percent thereafter. The BPH rating remained at 20 percent prior to September 24, 2008, and increased to 60 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's left wrist and thumb disorder was rated as 10 percent disabling prior to September 24, 2008, due to mild incomplete paralysis of the median nerve. From September 24, 2008, forward, the rating remained at 40 percent, consistent with severe incomplete paralysis of the median nerve.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether obesity caused or aggravated carpal tunnel syndrome, and if so, whether it was a substantial factor in causing the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity neurological conditions.

The Veteran's right wrist condition, including neuritis and a scar, is rated at 20 percent effective March 4, 2019. The rating for the right wrist fracture remains unchanged.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right residuals of shin splints, unstable angina, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome have been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for headaches, left foot arthritis, right wrist osteoarthritis, and an upper respiratory disability due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and for TDIU on an extraschedular basis. The case is being returned for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.