The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 14, 2015 for the grant of service connection for left wrist median nerve entrapment at the carpal tunnel was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome claim should be remanded due to a lack of nexus opinion addressing causation and aggravation by his service-connected left hand condition.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the grant of service connection must be based on when the claim was received, not when the condition arose or when treatment began. The right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome claim requires an addendum opinion to address whether it is related to the Veteran's service-connected left hand and left wrist conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left wrist median nerve entrapment at the carpal tunnel, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19160722
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,548 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19160722.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence. The Veteran is also asked to complete a TDIU claim form, and his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and face numbness need to be evaluated.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right wrist and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not caused by his military service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and pseudofolliculitis barbae as they were not properly appealed to the Board.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board will now consider whether GERD, wrist carpal tunnel syndromes, diabetes mellitus, ankle disabilities, hip strain, and knee disability are related to his military service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.