Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right wrist disability was incurred in service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist scar and found it was incurred in military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for B-cell leukemia is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private medical records, as well as service personnel records. The appellant's claims will be readjudicated based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent, but no higher.,The Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome is currently rated at 30 percent, but no higher.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and he also has various other disabilities in his back, hands, wrists, elbows, ankles, shoulders, and hips. The Board finds these claims are granted.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome, right hand, is currently rated at 70 percent effective July 2, 2014.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable prior to June 30, 2014 and increased to 10 percent from June 30, 2014 to August 21, 2017. It is now rated at 60 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's hypertension has been rated as 10 percent since the effective date of his service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right shoulder, wrist and finger, and ankle degenerative joint disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ulnar neuropathy of the left elbow is attributable to his in-service left shoulder dislocation, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to fully and correctly adjudicate the claims on appeal, including obtaining National Guard service records, VA treatment records from October 2015 onward, and private medical treatment records. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran is granted a disability rating of 20 percent for CTS of the left wrist, but no higher. The Board finds that his symptoms are best described as moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for diabetes, service connection for a skin condition, kidney disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and right wrist disability were denied. The claim for reopening of the right ankle and right wrist disabilities was granted.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his left wrist condition, organic hypersomnia, and sleep apnea. The claims will be adjudicated again after these steps.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist strain and assigned a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's left wrist fracture with ankylosis is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms warrant a higher initial rating of 40 percent.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 50 percent rating for his service-connected right hand injury, but denied a higher evaluation and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service and insufficient evidence to link his current condition to service.

The Veteran's heart disability was denied as not related to service-connected diabetes. His peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity is currently rated at 10%.,The Veteran's TDIU claim due to his service-connected disabilities has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his left ankle and right wrist and hand disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected mid carpal arthritis of the left wrist has been rated at 10 percent since June 2013. The Board found that this rating is appropriate as there was no evidence of ankylosis, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of scaphoid nonunion, right wrist was denied by the RO. The disability is currently rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound.