Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected knee, cervical spine, and foot disabilities. The RO granted service connection for these conditions in April 2001 but did not assign any effective date as of that time.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent effective October 14, 2010. His right wrist disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current knee and hand disabilities did not begin during or were otherwise caused by his military service, thus denying his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a TDIU as there was no showing of inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities alone.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Board hearing at the local RO in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right wrist disability, skin disability, and chronic headaches. The evidence submitted since the previous denial was found to be cumulative or redundant and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, leaving no issues for the Board to review.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities and determine the likely etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA outpatient clinic records. He will also be scheduled for a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and left upper extremity disability.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder is not shown to be a result of VA care, and the Board finds that his condition was not caused by fault or negligence on VA's part. The Board also found that the development of arthritis following surgery was reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has found that additional development is needed to obtain outstanding private treatment records from the Veteran's identified physicians. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's PTSD is linked to his in-service stressors, while the carpal tunnel syndromes are not considered directly related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's CTS of the left wrist more nearly approximates moderate incomplete paralysis, warranting a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the local regional office.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Regional Office.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable. A new VA examination is needed to determine if there has been a material change in his disability picture.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and arranging for VA examinations to assess his heart disorder and right wrist disability.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective March 24, 2010, based on his combined schedular rating of 70 percent for service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during service and is therefore granted service connection. The Board finds that additional examinations are needed for the remaining issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, wrist, hip, and ankle disabilities, finding no evidence of direct service connection or secondary to a service-connected disability.