Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hepatitis C and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death was not related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other incident of service, and concluded that his diabetes did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected Hepatitis C is rated at 60 percent for all periods on appeal, granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to alcohol abuse caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, which contributed substantially to the fatal end stage liver disease.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left knee disability, bilateral trench foot, viral hepatitis, dental disorder (grinding teeth), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right arm lipoma, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and left big toenail condition. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need to obtain additional evidence from healthcare providers.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence submitted by the appellant. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for hepatitis C, as there is no evidence linking it to his active duty service. The Board found that the in-service findings were more consistent with mild alcoholic hepatitis than hepatitis C.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for cause of death. The Veteran's death was attributed to multiple organ failure due to coronary artery disease, with contributory factors including cardiovascular disease, hepatitis, alcohol consumption, and Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his hepatitis C and lichen planus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C and viral hepatitis, including whether these conditions are related to his in-service episode of viral hepatitis or any tattoos obtained during service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have hepatitis C or epilepsy due to service and denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, a wart condition as secondary to hepatitis C, a kidney condition as secondary to hepatitis C, and a prostate condition as secondary to hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disorder, hepatitis C, and bipolar disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's claims were not reopened as the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Board dismissed the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as the issue of service connection for hepatitis C. The Veteran's current hepatitis C disability is found to be due to his intravenous drug use during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying in-service stressors. A psychiatric examination will be conducted to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions, and a hepatitis C examination will also be conducted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board found that the initial post-service medical evidence of hepatitis C is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for liver cirrhosis and hepatitis C treatment at The Toledo Hospital on January 14, 2008 were denied as the treatment was not rendered in response to a medical emergency.