Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical records and need for clarification of residuals from a right wrist injury during service.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for osteoarthritis of the left wrist. The case has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, as well as incomplete development for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to April 25, 2014.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected ganglion cyst. The issues include rating adjustments and service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and new examinations. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for low back strain and ganglion left wrist are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to be at least as likely as not caused by noise exposure during service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a combined effects medical opinion and updated VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for right wrist, left ankle, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities are granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for psoriatic arthritis, claimed as patellofemoral syndrome of the knees and bilateral elbow, wrist, and foot disability manifested by joint pain is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding etiology.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the Veteran's right ankle and right wrist disabilities, but denied service connection for a low back disability.

The Veteran's left hand and wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is found to be service-connected. The initial rating for his degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine prior to October 29, 2010 was granted at 10 percent. A higher rating beyond this point is not warranted.

The Veteran's right wrist disability has been rated at 40 percent for the entire rating period on appeal, reflecting severe painful motion and weakness of the right wrist with flare-ups of pain, as well as locking, and decreased grip strength.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of right second metacarpal fracture, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and impotence are denied. The Veteran is service-connected for a chronic low back disorder and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since May 1, 2009.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability for most of the conditions he is seeking service connection for, and there is no evidence linking these disabilities to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board found that the Veteran's left wrist injury occurred prior to his service and was not aggravated during service. Therefore, he is denied service connection for left wrist nerve damage.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a collarbone disorder, right shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, right wrist disorder, or right hand disorder due to an in-service injury or illness. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.