Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal and eye disabilities due to insufficient evidence of record. The claims are being returned for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and affording the Veteran with appropriate VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), residuals of ulnar vein thrombosis, left upper extremity, and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), left upper extremity.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for excision of ganglion cyst of the left wrist and denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's sole service-connected condition did not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of healed injury right wrist is denied as the evidence does not show ankylosis or more than limitation of motion.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support their onset during service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left wrist disorder, to include scarring, is not currently service-connected and requires further examination.

The claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The cases are now remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

Effective dates of December 5, 2007 have been granted for right carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist chronic sprain, degenerative arthritis of the spine (claimed as degenerative disease, lower back), bilateral pes planus (claimed as left foot and right foot condition), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, and tinnitus.,Effective dates prior to July 3, 2014 have been denied for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis ethoidectomy, maxillary sinus reconstruction and polypectomies, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (claimed as pain, numbness), and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as pain, numbness).

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his service-connected foot conditions or any other in-service events.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for right wrist repetitive overuse syndrome due to new and material evidence. The claims of service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right knee limitation of flexion with arthritis, and right knee residuals of trauma are remanded for further development. Additionally, a TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined and must be addressed.

The Veteran's allergic reactions and bilateral feet condition are not service-connected.,The Veteran's sinusitis is not service-connected.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s lumbar spine disability is manifested by at worst forward flexion to 50 degrees. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s left lower extremity radiculopathy is manifested by at worst moderately severe incomplete paralysis. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s right lower extremity radiculopathy is manifested by at worst moderate incomplete paralysis. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s left knee condition is manifested by at worst frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s right knee traumatic arthritis is manifested by at worst painful motion. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s PTSD is manifested by at worst flattened affect, disturbances of motivation and mood, sleep impairment, depression, anxiety, and difficulty establishing and maintaining work and social relationships. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran’s left wrist disability is manifested by at worst painful motion. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee conditions, finding no evidence of chronic disease noted in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,Service connection was also denied for a left forearm condition, with the Board concluding that there is not sufficient evidence to link the current condition to an in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, but the other issues related to right knee, left wrist, and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to outstanding STRs.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for insomnia, right knee condition, and bilateral shoulder pain is granted.,The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a right foot condition is denied.

The Veteran's chronic headaches began in service and continue to this day.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were present since service. The denial of secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is based on lack of evidence linking PTSD to the condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left foot pain and numbness, and right foot pain and numbness due to a lack of current disability evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have worsened, and she is being asked to provide updated evidence or be examined by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, increased ratings for left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, and initial compensable rating for a wrist disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for diabetes mellitus or establish a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since July 2009. The Board has granted a TDIU effective as of July 2009, but denied the claim prior to that date.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 50 percent. The Board found that his occupational and social impairment is best described as 'occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.' For entitlement to TDIU, the evidence shows that the Veteran was last employed in April 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities, which meet the criteria for a TDIU.