Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and issues related to service connection for a left wrist disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right wrist disability and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for new evaluations.

The Veteran is granted a 30 percent disability rating for cervical spine spondylosis prior to March 8, 2018 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter. The Veteran's right wrist degenerative joint disease does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.,A 30 percent disability rating is granted for PTSD from June 1, 2010 to September 10, 2014. A higher rating is denied.,The Veteran is granted a TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of all issues, including those related to service connection and evaluations for various conditions. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left wrist condition was denied as the current rating of 10% adequately reflects the severity and symptoms of his disability, including pain and limited motion without evidence of ankylosis or involvement of multiple joints.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right foot disability, back disability, bilateral hand and wrist condition, right knee disability, and sleep disorder to obtain medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions. The Veteran is not granted service connection on the merits as her conditions are currently under review.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hand and wrist strains, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his military service. The case was remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial rating for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome from December 6, 2010 to June 21, 2011 was granted at a 40 percent rating. The issue of an initial compensable rating for the partially torn right calf muscle is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for basal cell carcinoma on the right shoulder is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his active duty.,The Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective April 28, 2015 due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for various joint disorders, including arthritis of the shoulders, hands, elbows, and knee, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service treatment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected left hand crush injury and his current wrist conditions, including degenerative arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, status-post left wrist fusion, degenerative joint disease of the hand, and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD).

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral pes planus, hallux valgus on the right foot, arthritis in both feet (right and left), and a right wrist disability including ganglion cyst.,Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10% and denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, chronic bilateral wrist sprain, and bilateral ankle sprain are all granted service connection as they are related to his active duty service.,Service connection is established for these conditions due to the presence of undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illnesses.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, vision loss as secondary to diabetes mellitus, headaches as secondary to diabetes mellitus, a back disability, neck disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, and right knee disability. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of onset during qualifying service or any related disease or injury in service.,The Board also denied service connection for these conditions based on secondary service connection to diabetes mellitus, which was previously denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are not service-connected.,The Veteran's tingling in his right arm is not service-connected as it is related to a service-connected disability (cervical spine) or due to an undiagnosed illness.,The Veteran's cervical spine arthritis and spondylosis are not service-connected.

The Board has already granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral arm hand and wrist pain, including tendonitis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for right hand osteoarthritis, left hand osteoarthritis, chronic ear infections, and both ankle conditions have been denied.,Right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome were granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of all pending claims.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 10, 2020, and in excess of 40 percent from February 10, 2020 for a low back disability.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the period prior to February 10, 2020 for GERD.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for the period from February 10, 2020 for IBS and GERD.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for retropatellar pain syndrome of the right knee.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a compensable disability rating prior to February 10, 2020, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from February 10, 2020 for a left ankle disability.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding a compensable disability rating prior to February 10, 2020, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from February 10, 2020 for a left wrist ganglion.,The Veteran's petition to reopen service connection for right shoulder disability based on new and material evidence has been dismissed.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and adjustment disorder.,The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding service connection for a neck disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, his claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, elbow disorder, wrist disorder, hip disorder, knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder (other than right ankle sprain), shoulder disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service.,The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disorder has also been remanded as no VA examination addressing the direct or secondary theory of entitlement was conducted.,His claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for shin splints, left leg and right leg have been remanded.