Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of the claimed bilateral finger, wrist, elbow, and shoulder disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in developing and obtaining medical opinions, as well as investigating potential toxic exposure during his service aboard the U.S.S. Midway.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis is dismissed because the notice of disagreement was not timely filed. The appeals for service connection for right upper carpal tunnel syndrome and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical care provided by the City of Los Angeles Fire Department on January 16, 2021 is granted. The claim was timely filed and VA authorized the emergency treatment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction have been denied due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.,The remaining service connection claims (for bilateral feet, ankles, hip, wrist, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, psychiatric disorder, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was denied, and the Board found that no effective date prior to May 30, 2019 is warranted.

The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for service-connected right upper extremity impairment/radiculopathy including carpal tunnel syndrome, and a 60 percent evaluation for service-connected left upper extremity impairment/radiculopathy including carpal tunnel syndrome.,Effective May 2, 2022, the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities were rated at 70 percent and 60 percent respectively.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right wrist disabilities due to a lack of adequate VA medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, with obesity serving as an intermediary step.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for right wrist ulnar nerve tendinitis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is required to be provided with a VA examination in support of his claim.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding her service-connected depression. She needs an examination to assess the impact of her depression on her ability to work.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining medical opinions and addressing all relevant issues, including secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left handed carpal tunnel syndrome due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of her right to a hearing.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection for various wrist and elbow conditions, finding that the Veteran did not submit the correct form within one year of receiving a decision.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical strain, elbow and knee conditions, radiculopathy of upper and lower extremities, thoracolumbar strain, and GERD. The effective date is set at September 13, 2023.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to a failure to obtain relevant VA medical records from the San Juan VA Medical Center. The Veteran meets the schedular threshold for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities and combined rating of 70 percent.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for neck condition, bilateral upper extremity nerve conditions, and right wrist degenerative arthritis due to new and relevant evidence. The claims are remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left elbow, hip, wrist, and knee tendinopathy with tendinitis are granted. The Board also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability, to include chronic right wrist sprain, and to include as due to exposure to Gulf War hazards; a left wrist disability, to include chronic left wrist sprain, and to include as due to exposure to Gulf War hazards; and a left knee disability, to include left knee strain, and to include as due to exposure to Gulf War hazards.