Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2009

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed stressors, including shooting a water buffalo and threatening to kill another soldier, were due to his willful misconduct. Therefore, service connection for PTSD was denied as it is not related to an in-service stressor. The VA examination report indicated that hepatitis C may have been contracted during service, but the examiner did not provide sufficient rationale or evidence to support this conclusion.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's superficial fragment wounds of the upper back, effective from August 26, 2008. Service connection for hepatitis C was also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis B is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a neck injury, rheumatic fever, and hepatitis. The evidence does not support these claims as there is no competent medical evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not incur or aggravate hepatitis C during service, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active service due to his own willful misconduct.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of hepatitis are not shown to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent, and his bilateral hearing loss is not compensable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including heart disease, kidney disorder, liver disorder and hepatitis B, low back disorder, headaches, and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The appeals were all dismissed as new evidence was not submitted to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not related to service, as there is no evidence of a blood transfusion or other in-service exposure. The Veteran's risk factors for hepatitis C include illegal drug use during service and intranasal cocaine use at age 20.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran likely contracted hepatitis C during her period of active service and to determine which risk factor is most likely attributable to her condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining in-patient treatment records from Fort Gordon and Fort Gordon facilities. The VA will also provide the Veteran with a VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service and whether his hepatitis C may be proximately due to or aggravated by this condition.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for hypertension or hepatitis C, and denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C is not related to his military service, as it is more likely due to intranasal cocaine use. As a result, service connection for Hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B is related to his service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied the claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and acid reflux, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions as being related to his military service.