The Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist and left wrist have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to his military service.,Service connection has also been denied for a low back disability, with the rating assigned being less than what the Veteran requested.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided do not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of carpal tunnel syndrome. The examiner opined that the Veteran's current condition is less likely related to his service.,For the low back disability, the evidence does not show ankylosis (unfavorable fusion) of the entire thoracolumbar spine, which would be required for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Lumbosacral Strain with Spondylosis (Low Back Disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20022429
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 20022429.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity, status post carpal tunnel release is granted an initial rating of 60 percent. Service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is also granted.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted effective dates for TDIU, SMC, and DEA based on his service-connected conditions. The Board also determined that the Veteran's PTSD alone warrants a TDIU prior to May 31, 2024.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) decision denying the Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is inadequate due to insufficient reasoning. The appeal is being remanded to obtain a more detailed medical opinion addressing the Veteran's need for personal care services, supervision, and protection.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for higher ratings and separate ratings for neuralgia and neuritis for her service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of mild, moderate, or severe incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, which would warrant higher disability ratings.
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