Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his hearing request in July 2014.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, right and left wrist disabilities, and a back disability. The Board finds that these conditions are at least in equipoise with his military service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral wrist disabilities, and back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability. The appellant's contentions regarding dysthymia and other service-connected conditions were deemed insufficient to establish a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as issuance of a statement of the case on other issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of right and left upper extremity numbness (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome) because the September 2004 rating decision denying service connection was final, and no CUE was found. The RO provided notice of this decision in a letter dated later that month.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for his left wrist disability prior to June 4, 2012 and an increased rating from that date was denied by the Board. The Veteran's left wrist disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any wrist disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing a supplemental opinion from the examiner who conducted his January 2010 VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of the Veteran's contentions regarding left wrist instability, ankylosis, and loss of use since the February and April 2009 surgeries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C service connection is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or after service. The claims for increased ratings for left carpal tunnel syndrome and calcium chip-like deposits in the elbows are also denied, with the latter being rated at 10% due to current symptoms not meeting criteria for higher ratings. The claim for compensable rating for scar of the left cheek is pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left wrist fracture, finding that there was no satisfactory evidence of an in-service injury and no indication of a possible relationship between the current disability and any event in service. The effective date issue regarding prostate cancer is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal, thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraines, bronchial asthma, lumbosacral strain, left arm radiculopathy associated with cervical strain, right shoulder acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease, residuals of a right wrist injury with fibrositis, left ankle injury, tinnitus, sinusitis, left knee injury, and cervical strain, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right wrist is currently evaluated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this evaluation is not warranted for an increase.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including articulation disorder (hip), fatigue and low energy, hyperlipidemia, IBS, or diverticulitis. Therefore, his claims are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting any necessary VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his conditions were found to be service-connected and not warranting an increased rating.

The Veteran's service did not involve duty or visitation to Vietnam, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Board finds that diabetes mellitus, COPD, hypertension, and lumbar radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome were not incurred in or aggravated by service.