Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2013

The Board finds that hepatitis C was incurred during service, and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of nexus opinion and needs to provide the Veteran with an examination to determine if his hepatitis C is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate disorder, hypertension, anemia, and hepatitis C. The evidence did not show that these conditions were caused or aggravated by exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange during active service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hepatitis C has been remanded due to the need to obtain additional records and determine if there was a prolonged absence from his unit in 1951.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals concerning the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hepatitis C and granted it, finding that new medical evidence supports a nexus between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining employment records and conducting VA examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records from the Veteran's second period of service, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and medical records from Baptist Health Medical Center and Dr. B.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension is being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of whether he meets the unemployability criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 4.17(b).

The Board found that the interruption of vocational rehabilitation benefits was proper and that achievement of a vocational goal is not reasonably feasible for purposes of entitlement to vocational rehabilitation under Chapter 31.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hepatitis C and there is no evidence linking his claimed conditions to active military service. The Veteran's PTSD may be related to in-service assault, but further examination is needed to determine if it is related to combat support operations.

The Veteran's Hepatitis C has not been manifested by fatigue, malaise, anorexia, or incapacitating episodes requiring treatment by a physician during the pendency of this claim. As such, his claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, finding that the evidence supports these claims based on in-service diagnoses and current symptomatology.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for hepatitis C and left knee disorder. The psychiatric disorder claim remains pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including hepatitis C and its secondary effects. The Board has scheduled a videoconference hearing to address these claims.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's exposure to infected air guns during active duty service is sufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C. However, there is no evidence of pruritus in service or a link between current symptoms and military service.

The Board found no evidence of Hepatitis C or liver problems during service, and the Veteran did not provide credible supporting evidence for his claim. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.