Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and left wrist conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected left arm, shoulder, wrist, and scar conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right wrist disorders, index finger injuries to the left hand and right hand, pterygium removal from the left eye, chest pains, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a link between these conditions and service.,The Board found that the Veteran's current wrist pain is not related to his in-service injuries and that arthritis of the wrists is more likely due to aging rather than service.

The Veteran's left hand carpal tunnel syndrome was granted service connection as it first manifested within one year of his separation from active duty. Service connection for bilateral hand disabilities other than CTS is denied.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right knee, left tibia, or left wrist disability for which service connection can be granted. The Veteran's complaints have not been diagnosed as disabilities and the VA examiner found no functional impairment from his reported symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for new examinations to assess his current disability levels.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance. The Board has remanded to determine if TDIU should be granted prior to May 21, 2013.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right wrist is currently rated at 10 percent, and a higher rating is not warranted.,Effective July 18, 2007, the Veteran has been granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. Effective September 17, 2013, he was granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine condition, low back pain, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for high cholesterol, low back disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and depression due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinea pedis, hypertension, PTSD, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and rectal fistula were denied. The claim for psychiatric disability was not addressed as it was presumed to be PTSD.,Service connection was not established for any of the conditions due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between the condition and service.

The Veteran's right ankle fracture, right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and sleep disorder/insomnia and cognitive disorder due to a traumatic brain injury are all remanded for further development.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to ongoing complaints of wrist, neck, shoulder, ankle, lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, and epididymo-orchitis disorders. The case requires further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for bilateral wrist/joints condition with loss of feeling and skin rash. The COPD, hypertension, and prostate problems claims are remanded.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder is rated at 60 percent from March 7, 2014. The condition has resulted in ankylosis and loss of effective function of the left hand.

The Board denied claims to reopen service connection for right wrist arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the ankles, as well as a claim for left wrist arthritis. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion on whether his hearing loss was caused or aggravated by his service-connected psoriasis or left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for psoriatic arthritis is also remanded as it requires a new VA examination.

The Veteran's left wrist, left and right heels disabilities are rated at 10 percent each. The Board denied increased ratings for these conditions as the evidence did not show functional impairment comparable to ankylosis of the wrists or marked limitation of motion of the ankles.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his condition, including during flare-ups. The AOJ should also consider whether separate ratings are warranted based on additional diagnoses or manifestations.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's in-service complaints and diagnoses are sufficient to establish service connection.