Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and consideration of his claims, including those related to left wrist, left knee, and shoulder disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, left wrist, right wrist, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to lack of a current disability during or after active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome was onset during active service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of an increased rating for left knee degenerative arthritis is addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's right wrist tenosynovitis is found to be caused by an instance of fault by VA in providing treatment, and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right wrist tenosynovitis is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left wrist arthritis, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, and alcohol dependence), and a higher rating for his service-connected left scaphoid fracture. The decision found no current evidence of arthritis or any other mental health condition for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for left CTS with a 10 percent rating effective March 11, 2014.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as his current left wrist condition is not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetic upper extremity neuropathy and denied service connection for bilateral upper extremity neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's bilateral CTS has been rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent is not warranted for either extremity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, sprain and strain is being remanded due to the need for an adequate VA medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, an eye disability (presumably a pre-existing condition), hemorrhoids, non-allergic rhinitis, and knee disabilities. The Board also found that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for right leg varicose veins, chronic venous embolism, or deep vein thrombosis. Service connection has been granted for non-allergic rhinitis due to a service-connected deviated septum.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be etiologically related to her active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's cervical spine and left wrist disabilities are being remanded for additional examination to assess the current severity of his conditions, as there is evidence of potential worsening.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and determining the exact dates of her service.

The Board denied initial compensable ratings for various scars, finding that they did not meet the criteria under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist and low back disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle or right knee disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions and reviewing new evidence.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral wrist disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome, is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.,Service connection is granted for a bilateral wrist disability (carpal tunnel syndrome) as secondary to herbicide exposure. However, there is no evidence of a lower extremity disability due to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development, including arranging for a VA examination by an orthopedist and determining whether separate ratings are warranted for wrist instability.

The Veteran's service connection claim for restless leg syndrome is granted, as the evidence supports a finding that it began in service and has continued since.,Service connection for hypertension is denied, as there is no diagnosis of hypertension during or after service.