Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's left arm disability has been rated at 40 percent, and he is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial ratings for GERD and epididymalgia, testalgia, and prostatitis have been granted. The right wrist disability is rated at 10 percent since January 13, 2006, with a higher rating sought. The right knee disability is also rated at 10 percent since January 13, 2006, with a higher rating sought.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to her work during active duty service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran seeks an increased rating for his service-connected right wrist ligament injury with degenerative changes, currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has remanded the case for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for right hip arthritis and right wrist arthritis. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran has a lumbar spine or cervical spine disorder as a result of his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, conjunctivitis, lumbar strain and spinal degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, hypertension, bronchitis, cervical degenerative arthritis with spondylosis with right arm radiculopathy, and degenerative arthritis of the arms, wrists, and hands. The Board found that there was no evidence of these conditions during service or within one year after separation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claims for left knee and right wrist disorders, as well as his claim for an increased rating for low back strain. The evidence did not present new and material information to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of left ulnar nerve transposition surgeries has been granted, with an effective date from May 25, 2012. The Veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for this disability.

The Veteran's residual right wrist scar, status post right carpal tunnel release, has not been found to cause any functional impairment warranting a compensable evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and assigned a rating of 30 percent for the right femoral osteoid osteoma, effective from December 1, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his scar of the left wrist, are denied. The current 10 percent ratings under the appropriate diagnostic codes adequately reflect the severity and symptomatology of these conditions.

The Veteran's combined rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a total disability rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The VA examiner found that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA outpatient treatment records and clinical records from the Veteran's service period, as well as any private or employment records that may support his claims. The Veteran will be given an opportunity to respond to these requests.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of his claims based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, chronic rhinitis, and right wrist disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for the claimed conditions, including migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, left ankle osteoarthritis and ankylosis of bilateral hand, fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for right lumbar radiculopathy as a component of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's right wrist disability was rated at 10 percent from April 12, 2007, to August 7, 2008. The claim for a higher rating was denied.