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Carpal tunnel is a common condition that causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in a persona’s hand and arm. The condition occurs when one of the major nerves in the hand, the median nerve, is compressed. In most patients, it gets worse over time.
Treatment options involve wearing a wrist splint, avoiding certain activities, and surgery to take pressure off the nerve. The risk factors include: hereditary traits, repetitive hand use, hand and wrist position, and other health conditions.
How to Get VA Disability Rating?
To establish a direct service connection for carpal tunnel, veterans must demonstrate: (1) a current diagnosis of the condition; (2) an in-service event, injury, or illness; and (3) a medical link between the current diagnosis and in-service event.
If someone has an already service-connected condition that caused or aggravated your carpal tunnel, they may still qualify for VA benefits. In this case, they must provide medical evidence demonstrating the causal relationship between the primary and secondary conditions.
How is Carpal Tunnel Rated?
The VA rates it under the code for neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. The criteria is based on the paralysis of the median nerve:
| Dominant Hand | Non-Dominant | Symptoms |
| 70% | 60% | Complete paralysis; marked by absence of the flexion of index finger and feeble flexion of middle finger, inability to make a fist, index and middle fingers remain extended, inability to flex distal phalanx of thumb, weakened flexion of etc. |
| 50% | 40% | Severe incomplete paralysis |
| 30% | 20% | Moderate incomplete paralysis |
| 10% | 10% | Mild incomplete paralysis |
A VA disability rating may warrant an increase if the symptoms are consistent with “trigger finger”. Trigger finger is a condition that is associated with carpal tunnel that causes pain, stiffness, and a sensation of locking or catching when bending or straightening the finger. The most commonly affected fingers are the ring finger and thumb, but it can occur in any finger.
Veterans Help Group have been supporting veterans in getting the benefits they deserve since 1995. If you or a loved one served, and suffer from carpal tunnel , we are here to help. Call Veterans Help Group at 855-855-8992 or complete our free veterans benefits case evaluation form.
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