Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2009

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. The claim is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and is barred as a matter of law due to his own willful misconduct involving drug abuse.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hepatitis C is at least as likely as not related to his infectious hepatitis in service, and thus grants service connection for chronic hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the service member's death was caused by cirrhosis of the liver, which is a result of his PTSD. The appellant is granted DIC benefits and TDIU based on her husband's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's death was caused by suicide due to chronic pain from his service-connected disabilities, and he meets the criteria for service connection for cause of death. The appellant is also eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging a VA examination to determine the relationship between his service-connected conditions and depression.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and finds that new evidence supports a finding of service connection. The Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is related to his in-service viral hepatitis.

The Veteran's skin disorder, prostate gland disorder (BPH and prostatitis), and hepatitis B are not service-connected as they were not shown in service or until years after discharge. The Board found no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding no evidence linking the condition to any verified in-service risk factor or exposure. The Veteran's other claims were also addressed and denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The Veteran's claim of reopening his hepatitis C service connection is pending.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, hepatitis B with cirrhosis, and encephalopathy were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or a link to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated in active military service and denied his claim.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and hepatitis C with liver cirrhosis. The Board found that there is no evidence of liver cancer.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hepatitis C and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis B and C were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is not productive of daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication. The claim for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status must be denied as a matter of law.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as his hepatitis C was not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of cystic lymphoma or hepatitis C in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.