The Veteran's right carpal tunnel and de Quervain's syndromes were denied service connection as they did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not etiologically related to her active service. The TDIU claim was also denied due to the lack of a combined rating at 60% or more for multiple service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right hand symptoms began many years after service and there is no evidence of recurrent/persistent right hand numbness symptoms since service or within one year of service discharge. The preponderance of the evidence established that her right hand condition did not manifest inservice or in the one-year period following her separation from service, and is not etiologically related to her inservice treatment for left-hand 'overuse'.
- Claimed conditions
- Right carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain's syndromes of the right upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2020
- Citation
- A20017750
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A20017750.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for right carpal tunnel syndrome is denied as the award was granted in a separate claim filed after the initial increase rating appeal.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of December 7, 2020 for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability has been granted. The right wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome claims have both been denied, with the right wrist rating remaining at 10 percent.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome and a TDIU due to PTSD, effective October 25, 2021. SMC was also granted from March 16, 2022.
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