Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examination. The issues of service connection for various conditions are on appeal.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, vitiligo, and hepatitis C were all found to be incurred in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death must be remanded due to incomplete development and notification issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne, hepatitis C, and PTSD on the merits. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy or provided credible supporting evidence of his claimed stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have currently diagnosed conditions such as sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, major depression, or PTSD. The service connection claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, liver transplant, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy were denied as they are not shown to be related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hepatitis C, both on a direct basis and as secondary to his service-connected infectious hepatitis. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including sending corrective VCAA notice and obtaining an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hepatitis C and his service-connected infectious hepatitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of the condition during his period of active duty and no residuals were found in a recent VA examination. The positive test result from December 2003 could have been due to lab error.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development of the record, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The claim for shortness of breath and fatigue is also denied as there is no service connection.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and secondary cancers of the stomach, pancreas, and bile ducts were not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by military service. The Veteran's Hodgkin's lymphoma was also not shown to be related to his period of active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his hepatitis C service connection, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has determined that a new VA medical examination is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's current hepatitis and his active duty service, as well as whether any liver disorders are related to his hepatitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cold injury residuals, nutritional disorder, helminthiasis, cirrhosis, and gastrointestinal disability were all denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or persistent symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The claim for a higher rating for the residuals of infectious hepatitis (hepatitis B, schistosomiasis, and ancylostomiasis) is remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's death was caused by a liver disorder, not related to his service-connected seizure disorder. The Board found no evidence linking the liver condition to the seizure disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his military service and the condition.

The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected Hepatitis C. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's fatigue and malaise are caused by hepatitis C, but concluded that they are not service-connected due to a misinterpretation of facts.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen his right knee injury claim, and he does not meet the criteria for service connection for other conditions.