Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2018

Service connection for hepatitis C and dysthymic disorder (claimed as depression) is granted. Service connection for hypertension is remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for a low back disorder was granted. However, the claim for service connection itself remains denied.,Service connection for hepatitis C is also denied as there is no evidence linking it to active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and inconsistencies in his statements. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant treatment records from VA facilities and any other sources identified by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and cirrhosis, but the effective dates are being remanded due to conflicting evidence. The hepatitis C claim is also being remanded as it may impact SMC based on need for aid and attendance.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, hepatitis C, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) need to be remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C and hearing loss due to potential new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The claims for accrued benefits, service connection, and burial benefits are being remanded due to unadjudicated claims at the time of the Veteran's death. The appellant must be notified about her rights to pursue these claims as either a substitute or an accrued benefit claimant.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD has been reopened, but the criteria for service connection have not been met. The Veteran is granted a rating of 30 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity effective January 20, 2015.

The Board has remanded three claims: service connection for COPD, service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, and service connection for the cause of death. The remand includes obtaining private treatment records and requesting a medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship to service.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for residuals of frostbite in the hands and feet, service connection for cause of death, and a hearing loss claim. The examiner is to provide opinions on whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to service-connected PTSD or anxiety.

The Board denied service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and remanded the issues of service connection for a lung disorder to include pleural plaque thickening due to asbestos exposure, and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's other specified trauma-related disorder with depression is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran also receives an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation (SMC) under section 1114(s).

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and hepatitis C are granted as service-connected. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise for both conditions, granting service connection based on noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there was no competent evidence linking the current disability to in-service noise exposure. The application to reopen this claim is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for steatohepatitis with cirrhosis secondary to type II diabetes mellitus is remanded due to a lack of an aggravation opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist disability, passive aggressive personality disorder, and hepatitis C have been reopened. The claim for bilateral knee disability is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for back, bilateral leg, and bilateral knee disorders are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The issues have not been decided on the merits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, left shoulder disability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and other musculoskeletal issues, has been granted. However, some claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hepatitis, finding that the new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The claim for service connection of a low back disorder has been reopened, but the evidence does not support its grant.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an anxiety disorder but has remanded the issues of service connection for a right hip disorder, back disorder, cirrhosis of the liver, and chronic hepatitis C. The Veteran's migraines are also being remanded.