Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability, finding that his pre-existing right wrist condition did not worsen during service and thus could not be considered aggravated.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for residuals of left hand injury affecting the long, ring and little fingers was granted. Service connection for traumatic arthritis of the left wrist, bipolar disorder, and loss of four upper teeth due to dental trauma were also granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims due to his withdrawal of the issues concerning increased evaluations for the scar residuals of a splenectomy and recurrent ganglion cyst.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and opinion regarding his employability given his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's service-connected death pension benefits, accrued benefits, and burial benefits due to lack of eligibility based on his military service.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses incurred on July 1, 2007 were not related to a service-connected disability and did not constitute an emergency requiring immediate treatment.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for residuals of right third metacarpal fracture prior to December 30, 2009 was denied. The Board granted a maximum 10 percent disability rating for residuals of right third metacarpal fracture since December 30, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected right wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for scheduling of a VA examination. The RO/AMC will also consider the referred matters of service connection for left shoulder and left wrist conditions, secondary to service-connected right radial nerve paralysis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and assessments of his right elbow disability, including neurological impairment. The current evaluation does not reflect all symptoms and diagnoses associated with his condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a hearing and obtaining additional medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome did not have its onset in active service and has not otherwise been shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his left wrist disability and service connection for a left forearm disability was denied. His current 10 percent rating for the left wrist disability remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not submit a timely substantive appeal with regard to his claims for service connection for various conditions. The RO denied these claims in April 2006, and the Veteran was notified of this decision on April 24, 2006.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral knee disability, and PTSD. The issues were not about service connection at all as the appeal was based on a citation number rather than specific conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and residuals of tuberculosis exposure. The decision also addressed other issues such as bilateral shoulder and knee disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, sacroiliac disorder, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tendonitis of the left wrist and forearm is currently rated at 10 percent, which reflects the impairment in earning capacity.

The Veteran's left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome is currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling and has been increased to a 40 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, including right wrist tendonitis, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The Veteran is still entitled to the current evaluations assigned.