Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, and has remanded his claims for porphyria cutanea tarda and skin cancer due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's hepatitis B is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board has determined that he does not have an active infection or any residuals symptoms, thus denying his claim for a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death due to lack of confirmed herbicide exposure during active service. The Veteran died from kidney failure, but there was no evidence of Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam or Korea.

The Board previously denied service connection for hepatitis C, but the appeal is being remanded due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's representative asserts that his service treatment records may be mixed with personnel records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received, which includes service treatment records. The appellant now contends that the Veteran's schizophrenia led to alcohol abuse and cirrhosis of the liver.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, headaches, hepatitis C, and fatigue/malaise due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims for disabilities of the back, right shoulder, hips, knees, and ankles are inextricably intertwined with the claim for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened and is granted. The initial increased rating claim for PTSD remains remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The mood disorder is rated at 50% since November 29, 2010. Hepatitis C and gallstones/cirrhosis of the liver are each rated at 100% effective July 1, 2016. Diabetes mellitus remains at 20%. Erectile dysfunction continues to be noncompensable. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that the earliest indication of a diagnosis occurred more than 25 years after the Veteran left active service and considering conflicting medical opinions. The Board found the January 2016 and August 2016 VA examiners' opinions to be more probative.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and hypertension claims are denied. The hypertension claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed hepatitis C.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin, gastrointestinal, and dental disabilities. The claim for hepatitis B was also denied.,Service connection was not granted for a duodenal ulcer or pterygium as there is no evidence of an in-service event or injury.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis. The type 2 diabetes mellitus claim is being remanded due to potential exposure to Agent Orange, while the cirrhosis claim is being remanded as it may be secondary to the established service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

Service connection is granted for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and Hepatitis C.,Service connection is denied for elevated liver enzymes as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's service connection claim for a liver disability, including hepatitis A, due to incomplete VA treatment records and insufficient evidence of a nexus between his current liver condition and his in-service diagnosis of Hepatitis A. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board is remanding the case for further action, including consideration of an extra-schedular disability rating and TDIU.

The Veteran's right and left knee arthritis were not incurred during service, as no etiological relationship was found between the conditions and his active duty.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was first diagnosed in service and has been a chronic condition since then. Service connection is granted for this condition.

The Veteran's left inguinal hernia is now rated at 10 percent effective May 19, 2009. The hepatitis C infection claim was denied as it was caused by willful misconduct.