Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in providing notice of a pre-decisional hearing. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis A will be reconsidered by the AOJ with instructions to provide such notice.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board denied a compensable initial rating for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's condition was asymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for accrued benefits and has remanded the issue of service connection for cause of death, as there was a duty to assist error related to obtaining a medical nexus opinion regarding in-service herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his acquired psychiatric disorder, including alcohol-related liver disease, and his military service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder strain and right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for COPD, PTSD, hepatitis C, TDIU, and temporary total disability evaluation due to a failure to address his timely request for higher-level review of the July 2018 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C with cirrhosis is related to service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's hepatitis B was granted an initial 10 percent evaluation prior to May 17, 2024, and a 20 percent evaluation thereafter. The Veteran's COPD is not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death (hepatitic failure, cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis C) is not directly related to his Marine Corps service or any verified in-service exposures. The VA examiner's opinion was found inadequate due to its reliance on the absence of medical literature without a discussion of specific facts.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, gum disease, hypertension, orthopedic foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hepatitis C, skin disorder of the feet (claimed as trench foot), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) due to errors in duty to assist.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), finding that his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulted in weight gain, which is a risk factor for NAFLD.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diverticulosis, erectile dysfunction (ED), an acquired psychiatric disorder, cirrhosis of the liver, anemia, chronic kidney disease, polyneuropathy, acute gastritis with hemorrhage, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis B, polycystic disease of the right kidney, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and acne have all been dismissed as they were already granted or are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the reduction of his hepatitis B rating from 20% to 0% was upheld. Service connection was not established for diabetes, left knee arthritis, hypertension, or obstructive sleep apnea. Bilateral hearing loss was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for hepatitis B and C with chronic fatigue, migraines, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and chronic cartilage fracture at junction of 10th and 11th right rib complex.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to diabetes mellitus, have resulted in loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing and dismissed the claim for a special home adaptation grant as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for benign lung nodules, calluses of both feet, flat feet, and hepatitis C. The effective dates are not specified as the claims were based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran.