The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral thumb degenerative joint disease, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no medical literature supporting a relationship between the Veteran’s current diagnoses and his military service, including any reported elbow injuries or hyperextension injury to his right thumb. The Board also noted that the in-service findings were limited to treatment for shoulder strain/pain and left-hand numbness with abnormal ulnar and radial nerve distributions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), bilateral thumb degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19173720
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 19173720.
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
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- Partly granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the case must be remanded due to inadequate examinations and opinions provided by VA. The Veteran's right wrist disability, including neurological symptoms, needs to be re-evaluated for a proper rating determination.
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