Board decisionsVA Case Search

Board of Veterans' Appeals · Legacy series

Entitlement to a compensable rating for right wrist scars (associated with residuals perilunate dislocation, right wrist) is dismissed.

January 30, 2026Citation Nr. 26001451Docket 18-14 492va.gov source

  • Right wrist scars, compensable ratingDismissed
  • Residuals perilunate dislocation, right wrist, rating in excess of 10 percentDenied
  • Total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU)Remanded
DecisionAnalysis

Board reasoning

The Board dismissed the compensable rating for right wrist scars as withdrawn, leaving no issue for appellate review. It denied the claim for a rating higher than 10 percent for the right wrist disability on the basis that the current 10 percent rating under DC 5215 adequately contemplates the disability, even after considering functional loss and DeLuca factors, and found no ankylosis or need for excess-schedular referral. The Board remanded the TDIU issue for additional development to reconcile employment history and SSA records, noting inconsistencies in the record regarding current employment status and the impact of the wrist condition on employability.

Issues

  • Right wrist scars, compensable ratingDismissed
  • Residuals perilunate dislocation, right wrist, rating in excess of 10 percentDenied
  • Total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU)Remanded

Authorities

  • Lynch v. McDonough, 21 F.4th 776Cites where the Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt standard and weighing of evidence for rating decisions.
  • Fenderson v. West, 12 Vet. App. 119Established analysis for staged ratings during appeal period.
  • Francisco v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 55Guided consideration of present level of disability for increased rating.
  • Hart v. Mansfield, 21 Vet. App. 505Supported consideration of varying disability levels over time.
  • DeLuca v. Brown, 8 Vet. App. 202Used to discuss functional loss and DeLuca factors in rating.
  • Thun v. Peake, 22 Vet. App. 111Provided framework for extraschedular referral analysis.

Extracted with gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07. Citations are kept only when they appear in the decision text.