Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and readjudication of his claim.

The Veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left wrists have been rated at 10 percent disabling. The VA has determined that these ratings are not warranted for increased disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including GERD, asthma, and carpal tunnel syndrome, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since January 21, 2009.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine (claimed as neck injury) during his October 2011 Board hearing. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disk disease and strain, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and residuals of Cesarean section are not service-connected as her current conditions did not manifest during active duty or within one year thereafter.

The Veteran's dizziness/vertigo is causally related to service, and the Board finds that there is a continuity of symptomatology such as to warrant entitlement to service connection. The Veteran's kidney stone is not found to be proximately due to or aggravated by his GERD. The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome is not found to have its onset during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable from January 23, 2007 to September 30, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The issues of increased ratings and TDIU will be held in abeyance pending the outcome of this development.

The Board finds that the Veteran's thoracic outlet syndrome affecting the right upper extremity had onset in service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected right and left wrist disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after these examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral wrist and knee disorders did not originate in service or as a result of service, nor may arthritis of either wrist or knee be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected left wrist ganglion cyst residuals do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful, limited motion. A separate compensable rating is granted for the tender scar on the left wrist. The right wrist ganglion cyst residuals are not compensable.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for anxiety disorder, depression, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder as well as right carpal tunnel syndrome. Further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchitis, reopening the claim and finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service illness. The other claims remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining additional medical records, scheduling VA examinations, and considering extraschedular considerations.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU remains on appeal due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding his service-connected disabilities. The RO is instructed to arrange for a VA mental disorders examination, obtain any additional evidence, and readjudicate the claim.

The Board found no evidence of a left wrist disability during service and determined that any current condition is not related to military service. The Veteran's complaints began over two decades after separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and right hand and wrist disability are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to her period of active service, including her duties as a medical specialist and dental technician.