The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist and an increased rating for patellofemoral dysfunction of the right knee, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were not based on accurate factual predicates and did not consider the Veteran's failure to report any right wrist disability during his initial service connection claim. The VA examination findings also supported the conclusion that the current disabilities are not related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, Patellofemoral dysfunction of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19148075
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher initial ratings for carpal tunnel syndrome of both wrists and service connection for bilateral heel pain, degenerative joint disease of the left index finger, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Granted
The veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist was granted service connection. For his degenerative disc disease at C5-6 with arthritic involvement, he is entitled to a rating of 10 percent from April 6, 2001, to January 24, 2005, and in excess of 10 percent on and after January 25, 2005.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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