Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, depression, or kidney disability. The evidence was insufficient to establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C. The Board finds that the veteran was exposed to blood in Vietnam, which may have resulted in his chronic hepatitis C infection. Therefore, service connection is granted for hepatitis C.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C as there is no competent medical evidence associating his current condition with his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hepatitis, kidney disability, and residuals of pneumonia have all been denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The veteran's epidermal cyst disability was not incurred in or related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. His hepatitis C was not incurred during service and is presumed due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, dysthymia, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and low back pain. The claim for service connection of a back injury was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities remains unresolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and development of evidence, including consideration of revised rating criteria effective July 2, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied both his claim for service connection for the cause of his death and his request for Dependent's Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for readjudication due to a lack of medical evidence and need for an examination.

The Board found that the veteran does not have cirrhosis of the liver, jaundice, hepatitis, splenomegaly, and pancytopenia with liver transplant related to active service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to provide proper VCAA notice and for additional development of the claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hepatitis C, finding that there is no credible evidence to support the occurrence of the claimed stressors. As a result, the preponderance of the evidence does not support the grant of service connection.

The veteran's hepatitis C was rated at various levels based on the severity of his symptoms and liver damage. The initial ratings were granted.

The VA has granted service connection for hepatitis C and assigned a 10 percent rating, effective from the date of claim or March 29, 2001. The veteran's condition is currently asymptomatic with normal liver function tests.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that it was incurred in service due to receiving shots via a multi-use jet gun injector.

The Board is remanding the case to search for inpatient treatment records of the veteran during his confinement from March 1971 to August 1971, as he was treated at the 332nd General Dispensary and the 24th Evacuation Hospital. The claim will be readjudicated after obtaining these records.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C due to new and material evidence submitted by the appellant. The case is now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The RO denied service connection for several conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, status post cardiovascular accident times two, hypertension, status post myocardial infarction, bilateral hearing loss, Hepatitis A, B and C, and neuropathy of the left upper extremity. The veteran's appeal is currently pending.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hepatitis C and type II diabetes mellitus have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected hepatitis B was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.