Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, including right knee disorder, back disorder, cervical spine disorder, and carpal tunnel syndrome, all of which are claimed as secondary to his service-connected fibromyalgia. The VA is directed to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for blurred vision, bilateral hearing loss, dizziness, inhalation injury, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, sleep apnea, GERD, status post excision benign skin mass on the right wrist with residual scar, headache disability, left cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and PTSD have all been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals by the Veteran.,The Veteran's appeals for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bone atrophy is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or relationship to service.,The Veteran's claims for right wrist sprain, PTSD, sleep apnea, and sleeping disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist disability is denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis, and the current 10 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ankle and knee disorders are related to service, but more information is needed regarding the onset of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right hand and wrist disabilities, finding no direct relationship to service. Service connection was granted for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracolumbar spine disorder due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder and hip disorders are also being remanded, but with specific secondary service connection issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues include PTSD, bilateral pes planus, sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, TBI, seizure disability secondary to TBI, vertigo secondary to TBI, Dercum’s disease, wrist carpal tunnel syndromes, hypermobility syndrome, testicular/inguinal hernia, respiratory disability, mast cell disorder, hemolytic anemia, and TMJ.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded substantially gainful employment since January 1, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his right wrist disability, chloracne, and psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right wrist, left hip, and left abdomen (claimed as groin injury) conditions due to a recent Federal Circuit decision that pain alone can qualify as a disability. The case is now remanded for further examination to assess functional impairment.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for lymph node disability and left wrist disability. The dermatitis/eczema claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome right wrist, claimed as peripheral neuropathy right upper extremity; carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist, claimed as peripheral neuropathy left upper extremity; and traumatic brain injury are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome is related to service, especially his in-service repetitive use of hands, or if it was aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided that a left upper extremity disorder, including neurological manifestations (other than carpal tunnel syndrome), is related to the service-connected cervical spine disability and remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for a right wrist disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for a right hand disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's De Quervain's tenosynovitis. A new examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, low back disability, left hand disability (to include carpal tunnel syndrome), hypertension, and diabetes have all been denied. The Board found that the submitted evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has found the Veteran's left wrist disability and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) not related to service, but has remanded for further examination and evidence collection regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has found the Veteran's left wrist disability and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) not related to service, but has remanded for further examination and evidence collection regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations are needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and to address his reports of flare-ups. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.