Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver with portal hypertension was granted effective October 27, 2014.,Service connection for thrombocytopenia with leukopenia was granted effective November 18, 2011.

The Board has determined that there is at least a 50% chance that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete records, including SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities are also being examined to determine their current severity.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 24, 2014 for the award of non-service connected pension benefits due to a credible assertion by the Veteran that he initiated a claim on this date. The part of the August 2018 decision denying entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to November 17, 2015 is vacated.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, pleural disease, and hepatitis C due to insufficient information regarding asbestos exposure and other factors.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination of the Veteran's primary biliary cirrhosis.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right foot disability, left foot disability, lumbar spine disability, liver disability (hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), memory loss, headaches, left eye disability (cataracts and glaucoma), high cholesterol, right knee disability, and left knee disability (arthritis).

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C, as it impacts his employability.

The Veteran's liver disability, including hepatitis C, was not manifest in service and is not attributable to service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's hepatitis C with cirrhosis was granted a rating of 40 percent prior to April 5, 2013. From that date onwards, the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, hepatitis, hypothyroidism, and a psychiatric disorder due to insufficient development of evidence. The appellant's service records must be reviewed, and he must be examined by VA to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including sleep apnea, hepatitis C, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The VA is instructed to obtain relevant medical records, request SSA disability benefits information, provide a VCAA notice letter regarding secondary service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, attempt to corroborate in-service stressors, and obtain addendum opinions from VA clinicians.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess its current severity, and her TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral flat feet (claimed as ankle condition) has been reopened and granted. The claims for hypertension, hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and sarcoidosis have all been denied.

The Veteran's appeal of his petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a right foot disability was dismissed due to his withdrawal. The claims for hepatitis, depression, PTSD, left foot disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right knee disability, right hip disability, and right leg disability are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C in 2008, and new evidence received since then does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, as there is no evidence of hepatitis C or liver disease during his active duty. The Board found the appellant's statements insufficient to establish a relationship between the cause of death and the Veteran's period of active service.

The Veteran's hepatitis with irritable bowel syndrome is now rated at 30 percent, effective January 19, 2011. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms of alternating diarrhea and constipation, along with more or less constant abdominal distress, meet the criteria for a severe disability.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for cause of death due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remands and additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.