Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2006

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver and residuals of a left calf injury, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions as being incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hepatitis C is not related to his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is etiologically related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the veteran's current hepatitis C is not related to his period of active duty and denies the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for hepatitis C, residuals of a left eye injury, or chronic headaches.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and Hepatitis C were not incurred or aggravated during his military service, including exposure to herbicides. As a result, service connection for both conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chronic hepatitis or any chronic residuals of in-service acute hepatitis B, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's chronic hepatitis C is granted as service connected due to the blood transfusion received during active service.

The veteran's non-service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine degenerative disease and asthma, do not meet the criteria for a combined rating of at least 70 percent to qualify for pension benefits due to their severity. The veteran is therefore denied pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the case to allow for additional development and a new medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his hepatitis C was caused by service, and denied the claim.

The Board finds that the veteran's hepatitis C is related to his service in Vietnam, and grants service connection for this condition. The Board also finds that the residuals of infectious mononucleosis are not related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as it is more likely than not due to his own IV drug use. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C with liver transplant is not related to service and therefore denied his claim.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of hepatitis C was denied. The claim for PTSD remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability did not originate in or was not aggravated by his active military service. The liver disability claim is pending and will be addressed after a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at an RO in Little Rock, Arkansas. The veteran's claims to reopen service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and hepatitis C will be considered after the hearing.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension, hepatitis C, and splenomegaly did not develop due to or were not made worse by the April 1990 VA parathyroid surgery or associated VA hospitalization, testing, and treatment.

The Board found no evidence of hepatitis C in service or for many years thereafter and no competent evidence linking the condition to the veteran's period of active service. The appeal is denied.

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