Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2008

The veteran is seeking a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, but the VA has not provided an examination assessing whether he can secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's death was caused by liver cirrhosis due to alcoholism and chronic granulocytic leukemia, both of which are not related to service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board finds that hepatitis C is related to service and grants the claim for service connection. The veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating prior to March 1998, with an effective date of March 5, 1998.

The veteran's hepatitis C was caused by a blood transfusion during VA treatment, which the examiner found to be not reasonably foreseeable. The veteran is granted compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for his hepatitis C.

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

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

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

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need to obtain inpatient and outpatient treatment records from his military service, as well as VA treatment records. The RO will also seek an opinion on whether the veteran's current hepatitis C is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to his active service for hepatitis C, arthritis, or any of the bilateral foot disorder, back disorder, neck disorder, or hip disorder. The evidence is against a finding that these conditions are attributable to service.

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

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis, thus denying the request.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C is manifested by symptoms of daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication. This meets the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7354.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a causal link between the veteran's currently manifested hepatitis C with liver fibrosis and any in-service risk factors, aside from intravenous drug use.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The appellant was also denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as she did not meet the criteria for receiving such benefits.

The veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of infectious hepatitis, including a liver condition and swelling of both the right and left legs, as well as for supraventricular tachycardia (claimed as a heart condition), are being remanded to allow for further development.,Additional private medical records from Dr. Fewell dating back to the veteran's time of retirement are needed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's hepatitis C.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board found that Hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for infectious hepatitis and pulmonary disorders, finding new and material evidence. However, it denied these claims as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during service or that any current disabilities are related to service.

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