Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2014

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of the case.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis resolved in service and did not continue after separation. The current liver disorders are not related to his service-connected hepatitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his hepatitis C disability. The case will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not related to his military service and denied all claims for service connection. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have wartime service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is service connected as it is related to in-service tattooing and high-risk sexual activity, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis B is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected cirrhosis, as he questions the adequacy of previous opinions. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board denied service connection for chronic hepatitis B and colorectal cancer, finding no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to support a finding of causation between the Veteran's hepatitis B and VA treatment in December 1985, as no blood transfusion was performed during surgery. As such, the claim for compensation under section 1151 is denied.

The Board found that hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated in active service and denied the claim. For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran's preexisting condition did not worsen during service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for cirrhosis of the liver as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before this claim can be decided.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Hepatitis C has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's hemochromatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for HTLV 1 and 2, anxiety and depression, peripheral neuropathy of the arms and legs, hepatitis C, and prostate cancer as a result of exposure to herbicides is dismissed due to withdrawal.,Veteran has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of malaria or hepatitis, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and applying the benefit of the doubt to find that his current condition is related to his active military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current chronic lymphocytic leukemia and liver disorder are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicides or other potential causative factors.

The Veteran's claim for SMC for loss of use of a creative organ is being remanded. The issue to reopen his hepatitis service connection claim has also been remanded and will be addressed in the new SOC.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C was reopened and granted. His claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending.

The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is currently rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The mixed anxiety-depressive disorder has been granted an increased rating to 50 percent.