Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal disability, bilateral elbow injury residuals, right wrist and hand injury residuals, head injury residuals, and hearing loss in the right ear due to incomplete service treatment records and insufficient evidence of a relationship between his current disabilities and service.

The Board has granted service connection for left ulnar neuropathy and remanded the cases of right-hand disability, left-hand disability (other than ulnar neuropathy), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder, left elbow, and right elbow arthritis, COPD, and kidney stones were denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current diagnoses and service or any presumptive exposure.,Service connection was not granted as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity as she withdrew her appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of a low back disorder, lump on right wrist, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression) due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied as no indication of intent to apply prior to November 26, 2014 was found.,Service connection for asthma (claimed as a lung inhalational injury) is granted based on the onset during service and continued since then.,The Veteran's TBI claim requires clarification due to insufficient rationale in the August 2017 VA examination report.,A new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of the low back disability (DDD at L4-L5).,Left wrist and left shoulder conditions require a new VA examination for proper assessment.,Hypertension, gastroenteritis, and sleep apnea are remanded issues as no specific service connection theory or exposure basis is provided.,Service connection for asthma (claimed as a lung inhalational injury) is granted based on the onset during service and continued since then.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to issues with her lumbar spine, lower extremity radiculopathy, wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and shoulder disability. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to his right fifth metacarpal fracture and a compensable evaluation for the same were denied. However, he was granted a 10% rating based on multiple non-compensable service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left ulnar neuropathy with CTS of the left upper extremity is granted a 40 percent evaluation, effective from when his claim was filed.

The Veteran's right wrist disability has been rated at 10 percent for painful motion. The Board denied a higher rating as the loss of motion is not severe enough to warrant a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5215 or 5214.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate addressing of whether the preexisting left wrist disability increased in severity or was aggravated by service, and if so, whether clear and unmistakable evidence shows that any increase in severity was caused not by service but by the natural progress of the condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, left wrist disability, and left ankle disability. The right ankle disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disability, back disability, bilateral CTS, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence of current disabilities. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for a deviated septum and right wrist condition due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay assertions. The dental claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disability is not service-connected due to a current diagnosis of smoker’s bronchitis, which is not subject to service connection. The bilateral foot and left hand/wrist conditions are remanded for further development.

The Board has added new medical evidence to the record and has decided that some of the Veteran's claims for service connection need to be reconsidered. The issues have been remanded for further action.

The Veteran's right CTS is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The claim for TDIU is also denied as his unemployability is primarily due to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee injury, bilateral fracture of the angle of mandible and trismus (spasms of jaw), and right wrist/forearm injuries are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The issues of service connection for these conditions remain unresolved.