Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hepatitis C due to incomplete information on his service stressors. The AOJ is instructed to attempt verification of these stressors, schedule appropriate examinations, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for hepatitis C, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the condition to his military service. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's chronic hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver to his service, including any alleged exposure to air gun injectors. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for spinal stenosis and hepatitis was dismissed due to his death while the case was pending.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, as there was no evidence of hepatitis C being incurred during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the knees and higher ratings for his hepatitis C conditions. The arthritis claim was denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking a current knee disorder to military service. For his hepatitis C conditions, he received a separate rating for post-transplant symptoms but still requested higher ratings.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be fully adjudicated.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and clarification of diagnoses related to his liver enzyme levels, hypercholesterolemia, and hepatitis B.

The VA determined that there is no evidence to support a connection between the veteran's hepatitis C and his service, including any potential blood transfusion during military service.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have current hearing loss or hepatitis that is service-connected. The evidence shows no impairment in hearing during service and normal hearing at separation. The veteran's recent complaints of hearing loss are not supported by audiological testing.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, skin rash (claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure), and diabetes mellitus. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was filed on January 27, 1998. The Board has now granted an effective date of January 27, 1998 for the award of service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis B and C, as well as an acquired psychiatric disability. The veteran's hepatitis was found to be related to drug abuse during service, while his psychiatric issues were attributed to a personality disorder from service.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue, pain and depression, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, and hepatitis C. The decision also addressed issues related to reopening previously denied claims and assigned a rating of zero percent for hepatitis.

Throughout the rating period, the veteran's PTSD has been productive of symptoms including poor sleep, depression, irritability, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and hyperstartle. His overall functioning was characterized by occasional suicidal ideation and no inappropriate behavior or impaired impulse control.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left hand injury and hepatitis C, finding that the veteran's conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.