Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Veteran's muscle and joint pain in the left wrist, bilateral elbows, and shoulders were not found to be related to service. The Veteran's hip condition was rated at 10 percent, his cervical spine condition at 60 percent, and his thoracolumbar spine condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist disorder existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is granted as incurred in service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, bilateral wrist/hand disability, and left ear hearing loss disability (now bilateral) are remanded.

The Veteran's right wrist disorder is service-connected, but his left wrist fracture prior to August 29, 2008 does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating. Beginning August 29, 2008, the Veteran's left wrist fracture does not warrant a disability rating greater than 10 percent.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for diplopia due to right eye lid injury was granted, with a current disability rating of 10 percent effective March 19, 2008. Service connection was established for left wrist ganglion cyst and residuals of bilateral frozen feet (claimed as frostbite of the feet). However, service connection for a right ankle disability was not established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and right wrist disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred in service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for hypertension, service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, and reopening a previously denied claim for lumbar spine disability were all denied by the RO. The decision also granted service connection for hypertension but assigned a noncompensable disability rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims of service connection for a left knee disorder, skin disorders (tinea corporis, venereal warts, hand warts, pseudofolliculitis), and a left wrist fracture. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, and an increased rating of 10% for a left index finger scar. The Veteran's conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings have been denied. The Board has granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected post-operative ganglion cyst of the left wrist was denied as there is no evidence showing that the disability presented any exceptional or unusual circumstances, so the assigned schedular evaluation is adequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file a timely notice of disagreement regarding the September 2003 rating decision, which denied service connection for right hip injury, right knee injury, and bilateral shoulder pain, as well as assigning noncompensable ratings for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spine segments. As such, the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such severity so as to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and right knee disability were evaluated, but the appeal was denied as there is no indication of service connection for cervical spine or TDIU issues. The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome was rated at 30 percent for the dominant hand and 20 percent for the non-dominant hand, while his right knee disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right wrist non-union fracture of the scaphoid is the result of injury incurred during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected left wrist fracture with post-traumatic osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and his claim for secondary service connection for right wrist arthritis has been granted. The effective date of the rating decision is not specified.

The Veteran's earlier effective date for service connection of residuals of a right wrist/arm injury is granted to January 10, 1986. This was the filing date of his initial claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome are not service-connected. The right shoulder disorder is attributed to a workplace injury unrelated to active service, while the carpal tunnel syndromes are due to or aggravated by an injury incurred during inactive duty for training.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim for a skin disability, but not for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran does not have hypoglycemia or fatigue related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling updated VA examinations and providing appropriate VCAA notice.