Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records and a VA examination.

The Board found no evidence of a left shoulder disability during service and determined that the current left shoulder disability is not related to service. The hypertension, elbow, wrist, back, radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction, and psychiatric disabilities were also denied as not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on Housebound criteria, but found that he was entitled to SMC at the housebound rate from February 25, 2004, to March 31, 2004, and March 21, 2007, to April 30, 2007.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities and any left wrist disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for several of his claimed conditions, and thus service connection cannot be granted. The claims are denied.

The Board denied service connection for right hand and left hand disorders due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain Social Security Administration records, service personnel records, and VA treatment records. The claims will also be reviewed by a VA examiner regarding the relationship between his wrist disability and HIV infection.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for service-connected conjunctivitis has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and address the issues of hypertension, fatigue, headache disorder, and other claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded to allow for extraschedular consideration of his service-connected right wrist disability, right upper extremity neuropathy, and the combined impact of all disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional VA opinions and examinations, as not all theories of entitlement have been addressed.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the submission of new medical evidence regarding the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome among diabetics, and an addendum opinion is needed to consider this information.

The Board denied service connection for a sexual dysfunction disorder due to lack of evidence showing its onset during or related to active service. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new and material evidence, but the Board found no link between his current bilateral elbow, wrist, and knee disorders and his military service.,Service connection was not granted for bilateral elbow, wrist, and knee disorders as there is no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's reported symptoms are not considered credible medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and right wrist tendonitis are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining STRs and providing medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a sexual dysfunction disorder due to lack of evidence showing its onset during or as a result of active service.,Service connection was not granted for bilateral elbow, wrist, and knee disorders because the evidence did not establish their onset in service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's left carpal tunnel syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent since October 3, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence supports a compensable rating for the period from April 30, 2010 to October 3, 2011.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 70%, which meets the threshold for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unemployable.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's Navy service records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records, as well as to provide a supplemental opinion regarding the etiology of his right knee osteoarthritis. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic joint pain of shoulders, wrists and ankles is a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317(a)(2), as it can be attributed to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illness.

The Veteran's left wrist disability warrants a temporary total evaluation based on convalescence following surgery, but the issue of an increased rating remains pending.