The Board granted an initial rating of 50 percent, but no greater, for right carpal tunnel syndrome and an initial rating of 40 percent, but no greater, for left carpal tunnel syndrome.
The deciding factor: Based on the severity of the symptoms and impairment, including severe constant pain, moderate paresthesias and/or dysesthesias, numbness, muscle atrophy, and inability to perform activities requiring consistent grasping or holding objects, the Board found that the disabilities are most analogous to severe incomplete paralysis.
- Claimed conditions
- right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- June 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25052881
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for migraine headaches, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service, including his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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