Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD, and his unspecified pulmonary disorder is not service-connected. The claim for hepatitis C was denied as it did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board found that hepatitis C is not related to service or any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination and medical opinion to address the nature and likely etiology of any current liver disorders, including NASH. The Veteran's claim is currently in remand status.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The appeal is being returned to the RO for readjudication.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis B has been asymptomatic during the pendency of this claim and did not impact his ability to work. Therefore, it denied an initial compensable disability rating for hepatitis B and denied entitlement to TDIU.

The Board finds that the medical opinions provided are in relative equipoise, and service connection is granted for hepatitis C.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, but finds that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current condition and military service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability is currently rated at 40 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7354. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against finding daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia with substantial weight loss and hepatomegaly or incapacitating episodes.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C preexisted his military service and was not aggravated by it, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left eye disability and hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for stage IV nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) liver disease, which he claims was caused by herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including new VA medical examinations to address whether the Veteran's hepatitis or emphysema had onset during service and were caused by his active service. The appeal is now pending again with the AOJ.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated at 10 percent since October 2005. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that hepatitis C is attributable to service and grants the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chemical hepatitis is not related to his military service or any service-connected disability, but it may be aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The appeal for secondary service connection is granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for hepatitis C was granted and rated as cirrhosis of the liver, with a 50% rating effective January 2013. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus disability has been rated at 20%, but is denied an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not related to service or any service-connected disability, and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide a VA examination regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and remanded the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding his HCV. The claims are pending further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C.