Wrist & hand Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist tendonitis and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective October 1, 2004. The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right wrist tendonitis is denied as the evidence does not show limitation of motion that meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5003 and 5215.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right wrist disability, hypertension, and stomach disability due to service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's right ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a left wrist disability allegedly caused by a surgical procedure in June 1989. The case has been remanded to obtain informed consent forms and to request an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the likelihood of additional disability resulting from the surgery.

The Veteran's service connection claims have been granted for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left cheek cyst excision (residuals), eczema (dry skin), and several musculoskeletal disorders. The initial evaluations assigned are all 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service-connected right wrist and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a statement of the case on his claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical post-traumatic syrinx with radiculopathy of the C7-8 nerve roots and service connection for left wrist fusion as secondary to service-connected spinal fractures.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his shell fragment wound on the right upper thigh and carpal tunnel syndrome were granted, with a 10% disability evaluation assigned for each condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to a lack of action by his representative from the Texas Veterans Commission.

The Board has vacated its February 19, 2010 decision and remanded the claims for service connection for left thumb and left wrist disabilities due to additional argument received from the Veteran that was not previously considered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected spine disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist disability, right hip disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for depression was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. His claim of entitlement to service connection for left hip disability was reopened based on new evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left upper extremities with history of neuropathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claim for postoperative residuals of a left knee injury and to increase his rating for a scar residual of a left wrist injury. The TDIU claim is being remanded due to its interdependence with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's memory loss, headaches, and cysts have been granted service connection. Memory loss is due to undiagnosed illness, while the other conditions are associated with PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of an adverse reaction to a typhoid vaccination has been withdrawn. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for the right ankle disability and service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings for PTSD, chronic low back disorder, and right wrist status post open reduction internal fixation of ulnar fracture. The appeals were not granted as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome (right hand) and to determine whether he has CTS of the left hand that is related to military service. The RO must also consider whether staged ratings are warranted and whether extra-schedular consideration is appropriate.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The RO found that the current evaluations were appropriate, and no new evidence was submitted to reopen previously denied claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected fracture of the left distal scaphoid/spontaneous rupture of flexor carpi radialis was granted, with a 20% disability evaluation effective January 6, 2006. Service connection for right Dupuytren's contracture and carpal tunnel syndrome as secondary to her service-connected left wrist disorder was also granted.