Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's right wrist tendonitis was first diagnosed during his active military service and has persisted since then. The Board finds that the current right wrist tendonitis is related to his service, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of a puncture wound of the right foot instep was granted. The disability is manifested by pain and rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's left wrist disability did not meet the criteria for an extension of a temporary total rating beyond August 31, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The right wrist fracture issue is still pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and considering whether separate ratings are warranted for each wrist.

The Veteran's low back injury with DJD resulted in marked interference with his employment as a truck driver and mechanic prior to February 20, 2007. From that date forward, the disability rendered him unable to perform these duties due to severe symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a left wrist disability.

The Veteran is entitled to a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his service-connected right above-the-knee amputation and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, which together preclude locomotion without the aid of an electric wheelchair.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility requirements for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to his unsteady balance and coordination issues, which are not severe enough to qualify him under VA regulations.

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

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his active service or service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. As a result, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, and his cervical radiculopathy with paresthesias and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity is rated at 20 percent. The Board has granted these ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected left wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and clarification of representation.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is found to be causally related to active service, and the claim for service connection for this condition is granted. The claims for left hand carpal tunnel syndrome and a lung disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied because the VA examiner did not cause any additional disability resulting from the examination, as there is no evidence that the actions of the VA examiner were either careless, negligent, or caused an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disorder, left shoulder disorder, right wrist disorder, and left knee disorder were previously denied due to lack of current diagnoses. New evidence has been submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine has been granted. The claims for allergies, hearing loss, glaucoma, and rheumatoid arthritis and/or arthritis of the cervical spine, elbows, wrists, and hips have also been granted with appropriate ratings. Other claims were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition or its manifestations during service, and the current conditions are not linked to service.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations were also denied.