Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of her bilateral wrist disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of July 8, 2006 for the assignment of a 70 percent evaluation for service-connected degenerative changes of the right wrist.,The Veteran is granted an effective date of July 8, 2006 for the grant of service connection for painful scar of the right thumb.,The Veteran is granted an effective date of July 8, 2006 for the grant of individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's right arm pain, including tendonitis and carpel tunnel syndrome, is service-connected.,Service connection for fatigue due to viral infections (EBV) is granted.,Radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities secondary to a service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability is also granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right wrist disability and whether it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including right hand, right shoulder, left shoulder, left wrist, neck, and back disabilities, were denied as the evidence did not show a current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, residuals of a left wrist injury, and psychiatric disorder have been denied as there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, and he is now entitled to a temporary total disability rating for convalescent purposes following surgery for fungus infection of the feet from March 1, 2010 to April 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected right wrist disability warrants a rating of 10 percent, effective October 20, 2003. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has vacated the portion of its September 2017 decision that denied reopening of claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left wrist disability, and COPD. The new evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's right wrist chronic traumatic arthritis is denied. The Veteran was granted separate ratings of 20 percent for his right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome prior to July 23, 2014 and from that date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed for the Veteran's right wrist, ankle and knee disabilities, as well as his GERD. The issues of service connection for left knee and ankle disabilities have also been remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to August 17, 2009 were denied as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for joint pain as due to an undiagnosed illness is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of private treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist are currently rated appropriately. The claim for service connection for elbow and shoulder pain is denied as it is part of his existing carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hammertoes, calluses of the feet, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine due to a fall during VA medical treatment. The right shoulder disorder is also granted as a result of the same incident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his right wrist disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion and a need for updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain outstanding VA treatment records and to provide the Veteran with appropriate VA examinations for her claimed disabilities. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome is rated at 10 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of extension. The Veteran's left wrist tendinitis is also rated at 10 percent.