Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2010

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding no evidence of a current disability related to active service.

The Veteran's asthma and hepatitis C claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran does not have hepatitis B due to any incident or event in active military service and the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, PTSD, and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD including a mood disorder was denied. The Court found that VA did not follow the guidelines for developing PTSD claims based on personal assaults and remanded this issue.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to events during service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during his military service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board finds that there is an etiological relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed hepatitis C and his current diagnosis of anemia, with the treatment for hepatitis C exacerbating his anemia. Therefore, service connection for anemia as secondary to hepatitis C is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was due to acute bronchopneumonia, with cirrhosis of the liver as a contributory cause. The appellant argued that her husband's depressive disorder led to his cirrhosis and thus should be service-connected. However, there is no evidence linking the depressive disorder directly to the cirrhosis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for proper notice, additional treatment records to be obtained, and a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied his claim.

The Veteran's hepatitis C, status post liver transplant was granted service connection and assigned a 40 percent evaluation effective February 27, 2001. The appeal is for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is not shown to be due to a disease or injury incurred in service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of hepatitis A, B, or C and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of a stab wound and hepatitis C were denied as the evidence does not support service connection. The claim for TDIU was also denied due to the presence of multiple nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, to include as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder with alcohol dependence, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and for hepatitis C. The decision found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or materially affected by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board has dismissed the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a liver condition. The remaining claims are remanded for further development, including obtaining VA medical records, verifying Agent Orange exposure, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C due to new and material evidence received since the last final denial. The Board determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran contracted hepatitis C during his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is most likely attributable to his history of intravenous drug use, which occurred during a period when he was stationed overseas in Germany. Therefore, the Board determined that hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service.