Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's sinus condition has been rated at 10 percent prior to July 13, 2011 and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the right wrist disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's current symptoms are more likely related to repetitive motion and not an in-service injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination and adjudicating the issues of an increased evaluation and TDIU.

The Veteran's anal fissure, status post left lateral internal sphincterectomy, was granted a noncompensable evaluation and later increased to 10 percent effective from May 14, 2009. The Board is remanding the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for anal fissure.,The Veteran's left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, and low back disorder were not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to confusion in the issue and need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tenosynovitis arose in service, and grants her claim for service connection for bilateral tenosynovitis of the wrists.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied as her service-connected conditions did not meet the statutory criteria for these benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's preexisting left wrist disorder was aggravated by his service. The Veteran is also asked to clarify which specific federal medical facility at the Pentagon he received treatment from.

The Board has granted a dependency allowance for the Veteran's dependent spouse, K.M.V., and has reopened several previously denied claims of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing. The issues on appeal are related to service connection for various conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of his right wrist condition and service connection for a psychiatric disability to include PTSD and depressive disorder have been denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bony protuberance at the base of second metacarpal was denied. His claim for service connection for right wrist disability is pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected left posterior thigh lipoma was granted a 10 percent disability rating effective March 10, 2011. The claim for higher ratings for the other conditions remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left wrist fracture is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

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

The Board has granted service connection for left hand carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected post kidney transplant glomerulonephritis. Service connection was denied for a low back disability, with the examiner opining that dialysis did not cause or aggravate the condition.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and carpal tunnel syndrome are currently rated at their maximum levels.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet or approximate criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. Therefore, she is entitled to specially adapted housing but not special home adaptations.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral wrist disability, not including trigger finger (which includes carpal tunnel syndrome), and obstructive sleep apnea is granted.