Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 10 percent evaluation assigned to his right wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional records and further development.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing on several claims, including those related to wrist and hand disabilities, cancer service connection, and the cause of death.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for memory loss, determined to be due to an undiagnosed illness. The right upper extremity tingling and numbness have also been granted as service-connected.,The Board notes that the issues of service connection are related but distinct. Memory loss is considered a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness, while the tingling and numbness of the right upper extremity (right carpal tunnel syndrome) has been determined to be due to new evidence.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all ten issues of service connection. The Board does not have jurisdiction to review these matters.

The Board has granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for undiagnosed left knee, right knee, right wrist, and left shoulder joint pain as due to a qualifying chronic disability under the provisions of the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for right wrist sprain/strain with ligament damage.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right wrist disability, including a right wrist strain and chronic pain syndrome, is related to his active duty service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's original claim was denied in 1994, and no additional evidence has been provided within one year of that decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his residuals from left distal radius fractures and associated scars, as well as to assess whether his headaches are related to service-connected anxiety or in-service meningitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as his employment is full-time and he has maintained it throughout the period on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional right wrist disability was not caused by VA treatment and surgery performed in September 2000 for a ganglion cyst right wrist excision.

The Board found that the Veteran's left wrist tendonitis with CTS more nearly approximated moderate incomplete paralysis of the minor median nerve, warranting a 20 percent rating. The claim for higher ratings was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and a higher rating for his service-connected right wrist disability. The case is REMANDED to issue an SOC on the latter issue.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current neurological disability of the upper extremities, including carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment, is likely due to his use of crutches for his service-connected bilateral leg disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection based on exposure to chemicals and/or environmental hazards in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder and Parkinson's disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU.