Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder(s) is granted as service connected. The Board finds that the Veteran has variously diagnosed psychiatric disorders that are as likely as not related to his active military service, including PTSD and mood disorder. For the lumbar spine disability with left lower extremity radiculopathy, the Board finds that it was incurred in service. Service connection for hepatitis C is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA medical opinion, and a new addendum is required from the examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, which included cirrhosis of the liver and cardiac arrest, is service-connected due to his service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection are not addressed as the decision is on hold.

The Veteran died from hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver, with cirrhosis of the liver as an underlying cause. The service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a hepatic disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hepatitis C, which he claims was caused by a blood transfusion during knee surgery in service. The VA examiner found the risk factor to be transfusion injection and concluded that it is less likely than not related to his knee surgery. A supplemental opinion is needed regarding whether the air gun injections are a potential source of hepatitis C.

The Board found no current disability related to the service-connected hepatitis and denied both issues of service connection for residuals of hepatitis and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet criteria for a higher schedular rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not manifest in service and is not related to his service. The claim for service connection for a skin disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link between any diagnosed condition and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied. The initial disability rating for PTSD prior to September 10, 2014, was granted at a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, major depression, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, a heart condition, sarcoidosis, and a back disability have all been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal of the denial to reopen the claim for service connection for right leg numbness as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.,Service connection was denied for Hepatitis C and cellulitis in the left knee.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis B prior to October 1, 2003 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show daily episodes of fatigue, malaise, and anorexia or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least four weeks during the past 12-month period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a liver disability, to include Hepatitis C, is being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his diagnosis of hepatic steatosis and further medical opinion on the relationship between any liver disabilities other than Hepatitis C and service.

The Board has ordered a remand due to unresolved medical questions regarding the cause of death, including whether service-connected conditions contributed or caused the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to metastatic adenocarcinoma of the left lung, which is not service-connected. The cancers were found decades after his discharge and there is no medical evidence linking them to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal dysfunction, hepatitis C and bilateral leg disorder other than varicose veins are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for an increased evaluation for both conditions. The Veteran withdrew these appeals during a June 2014 hearing.,The Board also found that there is no evidence of an earlier claim for service connection for tinnitus prior to the current effective date of June 20, 2011. Therefore, the earliest possible effective date for service connection of tinnitus is June 20, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and is not etiologically related to any incident of active duty service or a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hepatitis C is denied.