Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, and the medications used to treat them, contributed substantially and materially to his death. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially and materially to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for a right wrist condition, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to deficiencies in previous VA opinions regarding the onset of hearing loss, tinnitus, and carpal tunnel syndrome during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, and knee disorders due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The Veteran's current diagnoses include diffuse arthralgias, spondylosis of the lumbar spine, fibromyalgia, and mild thoracic and lumbar degenerative disc disease.,The Board has not found a causal relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed conditions and his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the bilateral feet, knees, elbows, hands and wrists are being remanded due to potential VA treatment records. His claim for a higher rating for his left foot disability is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes are etiologically related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand was granted, with an effective date prior to July 13, 2012. The case was remanded in June 2012 and returned to the Board after obtaining VA examination reports. The Veteran is now rated at 40 percent for his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand beginning on July 13, 2012.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for multiple joint disorders, including a right shoulder disorder. The Board also found that service connection is established for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left wrist peripheral neuropathy did not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger fingers are not related to his active duty service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for back, bilateral wrist, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for type II diabetes mellitus with penile dermatitis, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's upper back injury, to include levoscoliosis, warrants a 20 percent disability rating throughout the period on appeal. The other issues have not been granted increased ratings.

The Veteran is service-connected with several conditions, including DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The care provided on September 10, 2011, was for an adjudicated service-connected disability and in a medical emergency where delay would have been hazardous to life or health. VA facilities were not feasibly available at the time.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome and a back disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not manifest in service or within one year of service. The Board also found no link between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability does not present such an exceptional or unusual disability picture as to render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards, and thus, her claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's right and left carpal tunnel syndromes have been rated at 30% and 20%, respectively, for moderate incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve. The Board found that these ratings are adequate given the wholly sensory nature of his symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for left wrist arthritis or low back arthritis on a direct basis due to lack of continuity of symptomatology since service separation. The claim is denied.