Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2008

The claim of service connection for hepatitis and/or hepatitis C is reopened, but the Board finds no evidence to support a finding that these conditions are related to service. The rating for left shoulder disability remains unchanged.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus warranted a 20% rating, hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service, depressive disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and thus, the claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran currently does not have any disability due to hepatitis C, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Board found that the cause of death, hepatic encephalopathy, was not related to service-connected conditions and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of infectious hepatitis, which was previously denied in June 1990. The additional evidence submitted does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

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

The VA denied an increased evaluation for hepatitis C, finding that the veteran's condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on incapacitating episodes or substantial weight loss.

The Board denied service connection for bursitis of the right shoulder, allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis), right ankle pain, and mitral valve regurgitation. The initial ratings assigned for degenerative disc disease with spondylosis at L1-2 and L2-3, hepatitis B, residuals of a stress fracture of the right lower leg, and residuals of a stress fracture of the left lower leg were also denied.

The veteran's death was caused by multiple conditions, but there is no service-connected disability that can be linked to these causes.,The veteran had Recognized Guerilla Service and his death does not qualify him for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and Type II diabetes mellitus, as well as his service connection claims for Ménire's disease, hypertension, cardiovascular-renal disease, kidney stones, thyroid tumor, arthritis, ulcer (gastric-peptic), and hepatitis C. The Board found that the veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a scar of the right thigh.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C is not service-connected as it resulted from his own misconduct, specifically intravenous drug use during and after active service.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it was incurred in active military service. Service connection is denied for HIV and herpes.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and atopic dermatitis, finding no evidence of a nexus to service. The claim for atopic dermatitis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if the veteran's Hepatitis C was incurred in service or due to a service-connected condition, and thus remands the case for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including hepatitis C, cervical spine fusion with residuals, lumbar spine injury with residuals, gunshot wounds to both knees, and left foot disability. The decision also addressed issues related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C due to insufficient consideration of recent medical records, including Internet articles submitted by the veteran. The RO/AMC is instructed to obtain all outstanding VA treatment records from September 2006 to the present.

The VA denied an increased disability rating for hepatitis C, finding that the veteran's condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his claim to reopen a PTSD claim was also denied. The VA determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening the PTSD claim due to lack of new and material evidence.