Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2008

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's cause of death due to pancreatic cancer, lung cancer (presumed from Agent Orange exposure), and diabetes. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension, right renal calculi, and Hepatitis C due to additional development being required. The issues include service connection for hypertension (secondary), a higher evaluation for right renal calculi, and an increased rating for Hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hepatitis C is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for hepatitis C, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and finds no basis for granting service connection in any of these cases.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of infectious hepatitis and diabetes mellitus, with the latter being due to lack of current evidence of a disability. The veteran's contentions were not supported by medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD and hepatitis C are not related to his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The veteran's death was caused by liver failure due to hepatitis C, which is service-connected. The appellant is also granted service connection for hepatitis C for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it was not incurred during active service and precluded by drug abuse.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim for further development due to incomplete service records and outstanding VA treatment records. The focus is on determining whether hepatitis C was incurred during active service.

The veteran's hepatitis B was rated at 20% effective December 6, 2007. The condition has been manifested by intermittent fatigue, malaise, nausea, anorexia, and abdominal pain with hepatomegaly since then.

The veteran's liver cancer and hepatitis C were not service-connected, and the cause of death was denied. Burial benefits were also denied.

The Board finds that service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is warranted due to exposure to hepatitis C during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to issues related to service connection for PTSD and Hepatitis C, including a need to address evidence of personal assault for PTSD.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver.

The Board has determined that the veteran's renal failure was aggravated by his service-connected chronic hepatitis, and thus grants service connection for renal failure as secondary to service-connected chronic hepatitis.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C and peripheral artery disease of the bilateral lower extremities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for diabetes mellitus type II was denied as there was no exposure to Agent Orange, and new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The appeal of PTSD is dismissed as the veteran only wished to continue his appeal regarding hepatitis C.