Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not have a direct relationship to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in permanent and total disability that is due to the loss or loss of use of one or both lower extremities so as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. The Board grants entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hepatitis C infection and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) were denied. The evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has found that new evidence submitted since his last rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim for service connection. The other issues are related to increased evaluations and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and SSA disability benefits records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and an examination.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and awarded a 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus, type II with diabetic macular edema of the left eye and plantar callus formation of the bilateral heels and hypertension. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between any of his conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated at 40 percent since July 2, 2012. The symptoms have included daily fatigue and malaise, right upper quadrant pain, nausea, arthralgia, intermittent vomiting, and minor hepatomegaly with incapacitating episodes lasting less than six weeks in the past year.

The Board found that the Veteran's Hepatitis B was not caused or aggravated by his military service and denied the claim for accrued benefits.

The Veteran's hepatitis B claim is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity and manifestations of her condition. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricability from the hepatitis B rating issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's autoimmune hepatitis is of service origin and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and provide a VA physician with information about the Veteran's treatment at Medical City Dallas Hospital. The goal is to determine if hepatitis C, which was linked to an in-service blood transfusion, contributed to death. Additionally, it will be determined whether part of the lung removed during service had any impact on health.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection and a 10% rating for Hepatitis C prior to December 11, 2012. A 20% rating is assigned effective July 10, 2010. The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hepatitis C, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities (carpal tunnel syndrome), or peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no service connection claim is pending.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral Achilles tendinopathy is granted, with the earliest possible effective date being June 10, 2003. The claim for a compensable initial disability rating for Hepatitis B remains denied as there are no symptoms or complications associated with the condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD was granted, with a rating of 50 percent. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include PTSD, hypertension, and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C as a result of Agent Orange exposure was previously denied due to willful misconduct. The current appeal is based on the theory that it is secondary to PTSD.