Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The issues include reopening service connection claims and seeking increased ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia caused or aggravated his alcohol addiction, which led to cirrhosis and ultimately contributed to his cause of death. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to support it. However, the claims for psychiatric disorder, hepatitis C residuals, thoracolumbar spine disorder, headaches, neck disability, and left knee disability have been denied as there is no current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying an in-service incident involving contact with the blood of other service members. A VA examination will be scheduled to determine if his hepatitis C is related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain verification of his reserve service periods and to schedule him for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hepatitis C with cirrhosis.

The Veteran's chronic hepatitis C is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating, and therefore denies his claim for an increased rating.

The Veteran asserts that his hepatitis C results from exposure to blood products during service, specifically military use of immunization jet injectors. The Board acknowledges the risk factors for contracting hepatitis C and finds a need for further examination to determine the likely etiology of the condition.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of a nexus to service. The Veteran's claims for depression with stress were not addressed as they are not related to the appeal of hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not related to his service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not manifest in active service and is not otherwise etiologically related to such service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and a skull fracture, were denied. The claim for PTSD was reopened based on new evidence but ultimately denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis A, yellow jaundice, and hepatitis B has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his service-connected PTSD and drug abuse, which the Board finds was secondary to his PTSD. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and Parkinson's disease, have rendered him unemployable. The Board has granted a TDIU for the entire appellate period.

The Veteran's hepatitis C residuals have been rated at 40 percent since March 25, 2011. The effective date for the TDIU grant was changed to June 20, 2008.

The VA examiner found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was initially demonstrated years after service and did not relate it to active service.

The Board has reopened the issue of whether the Veteran's character of discharge from his period of service is a bar to VA benefits, but the issues of service connection for various conditions remain pending.