Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, and gallstones due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gastritis, hepatitis C, and an anxiety disorder to include PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's cause of death, hepatorenal syndrome due to alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis, was not related to service or any service-connected disability. The veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The veteran's claim for Hepatitis C was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of the condition. The VA found that his PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, but granted a 10% disability rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and a psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's hepatitis C was increased to a 40 percent rating effective May 21, 2007. The condition is currently manifested by daily fatigue, malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and right upper quadrant pain with minor weight loss.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis B is asymptomatic and does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 and concluding that the veteran's symptoms were not related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, depression, HIV infection, Hepatitis B and C, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The reasons were that there was no diagnosis of PTSD or other conditions in service, no credible evidence supporting claimed stressors, and no medical nexus between current disabilities and military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic hepatitis residuals, as the veteran's condition was not shown during active service or at any time thereafter.

The Board finds in favor of the veteran for service connection regarding his current hypopigmented skin patches and associated scars. The Board also acknowledges that hepatitis C is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to active service. Service connection for hepatitis B is granted based on new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Hepatitis C is as likely as not related to military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Hepatitis C is denied as there was no communication from her prior to March 28, 2003 that constituted a formal or informal claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if hepatitis C exists and its relationship to military service.

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

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's hepatitis C and cirrhosis, including whether these conditions had their onset in service or are related to his service-connected disability.

The veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and he did not have a total and permanent service-connected disability at the time of his death. Therefore, DIC benefits are denied, as is eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of a verified in-service stressor for PTSD. The claims for COPD, Hepatitis C, and PTSD were denied as the conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and residuals of hepatitis, but denied these claims as there is no objective evidence of current residuals of hepatitis.