Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hepatitis C, and a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for prostatitis. The decision concluded that there was no credible evidence supporting the veteran's assertions regarding his claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's current hepatitis and readjudication of his service connection claim.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C secondary to surgery for a service-connected gallbladder disability and denied compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to hospitalization at the VAMC in San Antonio, Texas from December 18 to December 23, 1979.

The VA denied service connection for hepatitis C, but granted an increased rating of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis-B, hepatitis-C, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and otitis externa of the left ear. The appeals were based on direct evidence from service records.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C, and will now consider whether this condition is related to his military service.

The Board found no competent evidence of current hepatitis C or residuals thereof, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C. The left knee disorder was granted but not increased in rating.

The veteran's claims on reopening a claim of service connection for hepatitis A or B and entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and the need for verification of the veteran's military service, particularly his service in Vietnam. The appellant must provide additional evidence or authorize VA to obtain relevant treatment records from private physicians.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, finding no evidence of a chronic disorder and noting that there was no indication of Hepatitis C during or after service. The examiner opined that the most likely factor for Hepatitis C in this case would be speculative.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that her hepatitis C is related to her military service, and thus denied service connection.

The Board found that the veteran does not have hepatitis C related to his active service, including any exposure to Agent Orange or sexual activity while in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver was incurred in service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board is requesting additional medical records and an examination to determine if the veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his alcoholism, hepatitis, which were identified as causes of death.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis and a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting further examinations.

The veteran's claims for service connection for decreased vision in the left eye and initial evaluations for hepatitis-C have been denied. The effective date for a grant of service connection for hepatitis-C remains March 6, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a liver disorder, including hepatitis and cirrhosis, finding that there is no evidence linking his current diagnosis to his period of active duty.

The Board found that hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and that chronic liver disease such as cirrhosis could not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and unclear opinions.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C with secondary nephropathy, attributing it to exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found no evidence of in-service disease or injury related to Hepatitis C and concluded that there was no presumption of exposure due to herbicide use.