Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C, are not related to his military service. The evidence does not show any objective findings of these conditions during or immediately after service, nor is there any competent medical opinion linking them to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inextricably intertwined issues and additional development is required before the issue on appeal may be decided on its merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have any service connection claims pending at the time of his death for glaucoma, foot pain/plantar fasciitis, Dupuytren's contractures, meningitis, right rotator cuff problems, a right knee condition, cirrhosis with encephalitis and hepatic encephalopathy, or hepatitis B. As such, these claims are denied as accrued benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, cirrhosis of the liver, was not related to his service-connected PTSD and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for infectious hepatitis and a bilateral eye disorder, as well as his claim for an increased rating for lumbar muscle spasm due to trauma. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, hypertension, inguinal and cervical lymphadenopathy, residuals of an upper respiratory infection (COPD), and Guillian-Barre syndrome due to lack of direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and his request for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of hepatitis C during service or any link to military exposure, and denied the claim based on lack of a direct connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hepatitis C is not related to service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to assess his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and/or liver cancer is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his condition. Additional medical records are needed, including those from April 2007 onwards, as well as any SSA disability benefits decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acne and hepatitis C were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or continuity of symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to conflicting clinical opinions and the need for a VA specialist in epidemiology to provide an opinion on the etiology of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a liver disorders examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not ripe for adjudication due to the pending hepatitis C claim.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's rating for hepatitis C from 20% to 10%, effective March 1, 2007 was improper due to a lack of application of the provisions set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.344. The Board restored the original 20% schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional treatment records. The Veteran's claim is currently in a pending state.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA) and to obtain all relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was first diagnosed during his active duty service and resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the claim, granting service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the unavailability of the VLJ who conducted the October 2010 hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current Hepatitis C disability is causally related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.