The Board has granted service connection for left and right carpal tunnel disorders, finding that they are related to the Veteran's active service due to aggravation by his service-connected back disability.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's current carpal tunnel diagnoses were a result of using a walker for his service-connected back and neck disabilities, which aggravated his pre-existing carpal tunnel conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left carpal tunnel, right carpal tunnel
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19148470
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including headaches, BCC, carpal tunnel, CFS, fibromyalgia, right ear hearing loss, lipoma, OSA, thoracic pain, neck pain, and peripheral neuropathy in the left and right lower extremities, as there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left carpal tunnel and a 30 percent disability rating for right carpal tunnel, as the Veteran's conditions resulted in moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of back pain and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Board found that the medical examiner did not adequately consider all relevant evidence, including the veteran's lay statements and service treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the complexity of his case and the need for extraschedular consideration. The Board notes that he has multiple service-connected disabilities, but does not meet the schedular rating criteria for a TDIU. He also had difficulty obtaining and maintaining employment due to his shoulder pain.
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