Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and denied his claim.

The veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the claims for hepatitis and diabetes mellitus. As a result, the Board has dismissed this case.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for service connection of hepatitis C, finding no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying claimed stressors and obtaining clinical records.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a 60% evaluation for hepatitis, finding that the earliest claim was in September 1998 and no increase within one year of that date is factually ascertainable.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the veteran's current hepatitis C is linked to active duty.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of hepatitis C during service or after service, and thus the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, gunshot wounds to his arms, and Agent Orange exposure as a basis for presumptive service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis B resulted from post-service exposure, and not due to any in-service exposure. Therefore, service connection for hepatitis B is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis or its residuals, finding no current disability and noting that there is no evidence of any chronic sequelae from a past episode of viral hepatitis in service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C with cirrhosis and osteoporosis, as secondary to medication taken for bronchitis, were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty.

The veteran's hepatitis C is currently manifested by minimal liver damage with associated fatigue, anxiety, and depression. The Board found that the current rating of 30 percent adequately reflects his disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and hepatitis C, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as there is no evidence of residuals from service-connected conditions that would warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The veteran's hepatitis C residuals have not met the criteria for a higher rating, as they do not demonstrate fatigue, anorexia, or other disabling symptoms warranting a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis and no medical opinion linking his claimed condition to military service.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's psychiatric disorder, arthritis of the feet, shoulders, and back disability to service. The claim for hepatitis C was also denied as there is no competent evidence showing a nexus between the condition and 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, which was previously denied in May 1996. The decision will now proceed to consider the merits of the claim.