The Board has determined that the veteran's left wrist, which is his minor hand, suffers from severe, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve. This warrants a 40 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8515 for paralysis of the median nerve on the minor hand. The veteran does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on arthritis, limitation of motion, or ankylosis of the wrist. A separate compensable rating is assigned for the surgical scars at the left wrist.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows severe, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve in the minor hand, which warrants a 40 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 8515. The veteran's other conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on arthritis, limitation of motion, or ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- status post total left wrist arthroplasty and fusion, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2003
- Citation
- 0304820
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,467 · Granted: 18% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0304820.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist based on a medical nexus between an in-service incurrence and the current diagnosis.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left wrist, a seizure disorder, an inguinal hernia, an acquired psychiatric disability, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's submissions, as review of the May 2022 and March 2022 rating decisions could only be sought 'in one review lane at a time.'
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bronchitis, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and hearing loss. Other claims were remanded for further evaluation.
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