Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of notification for VA examinations, and further development is needed.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are necessary to address the questions of whether the Veteran's claimed carpal tunnel syndrome and back disability had their clinical onset during active service or is otherwise the result of a disease or injury in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected left wrist and left knee disabilities from March 18, 2009 to March 7, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder, left wrist ganglion cyst, hemorrhoids, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral elbow disorder, a left hip disorder, and a gastrointestinal disorder are remanded.

The Veteran is granted service connection for bilateral shoulder arthritis, right wrist arthritis, left 5th finger arthritis, left 2nd finger arthritis, and left 3rd finger arthritis. These conditions are considered to be directly related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not alone or in combination render the Veteran unemployable, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's arthritis conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of multiple joints, are not service-connected. The right ankle condition is service-connected due to in-service trauma, but other joint conditions are not considered service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting higher disability ratings or establishing service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for updated treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 28, 2011 for a 60% disability rating for ulcerative colitis is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximate the criteria consistent with a 60% disability rating from the date of original diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left wrist disorder is not related to his military service and instead is more likely due to his job in servicing trucks. As a result, the claim for service connection for a left wrist disorder is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his active service and grants this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left wrist disorder related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The TDIU claim was also denied as there are no service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left wrist disability was denied because he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's donor site scar is rated at 10% and his right wrist ankylosis with degenerative joint disease was granted a 70% rating prior to May 17, 2016. From that date, the Veteran's claim for a higher rating remains denied.,A mixed decision has been reached as some issues were granted (donor site scar and right wrist ankylosis) while others remain denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected left wrist disorder did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 24, 2013 and in excess of 40 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for postoperative right carpal tunnel syndrome has been remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence.