Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, lumbar spine condition, right knee condition, prostate cancer, and residuals of bladder cancer due to asbestos exposure. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for further review with consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II has been granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The compensable rating for his infectious hepatitis is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are being remanded due to the failure of VA to contact him at his new address in Georgia. The examinations scheduled for June 2018 have not been conducted, and a copy of the Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was sent to two prior addresses in South Carolina.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of hepatitis C and found that new evidence supports a reopening, but still denies the claim as there is no medical evidence linking current hepatitis C to service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is granted as service connected. The lumbar spine disorder claim is remanded for further examination and evaluation. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to advanced metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, which is service-connected infectious hepatitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and liver disorder to include hepatitis B due to incomplete medical evidence. The appeals are now pending again with the VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia), a back condition, and a respiratory condition to include COPD. The claim for PTSD remains denied due to lack of evidence of an in-service stressor. Service connection for hepatitis C was not addressed as it is unrelated to the other claims.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for hepatitis A, B and C, right Achilles tendinopathy, migraines (secondary to peripheral neuropathy of the face), cerebrovascular accident (claimed as stroke), hypertension, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The remand also includes a request for VA examinations to determine if the Veteran has current diagnoses of hepatitis A, B or C and whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his PTSD, Degenerative Disc Disease, Lumbar Spine, Hypertension, and Hepatitis C claims has been granted. The service connection for these conditions is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is remanded as further development, including a VA examination, is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient nexus opinion regarding the cause of death. The Veteran's cause of death is liver cancer, and the Appellant contends it was related to in-service IV drug use.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery bypass graft may have aggravated his previously undiagnosed cirrhosis of the liver, and therefore service connection for cirrhosis of the liver is granted as secondary to ischemic heart disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a bilateral knee disability, hypertension, and hepatitis C due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran's attorney. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension and Hepatitis C were denied service connection as there is no evidence of these conditions during his active duty. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to his military service.,For diabetes, left brachial plexus injury, bilateral knee conditions, lower spine condition (secondary), peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (secondary), and special monthly pension claims, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a liver condition, including cirrhosis and fibrosis, as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C. Additionally, TDIU is also being remanded due to its potential impact on the liver condition claim.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for hepatitis C was denied. The Board also remanded the cases of service connection for a neurological disability, an effective date prior to February 18, 2015 for the grant of an increased rating for PTSD, and a total disability rating for compensation based on unemployability due to PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for hepatitis C were both denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and there was no evidence of a formal or informal claim prior to June 25, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's liver disorder, diagnosed as hepatitis C status post liver transplant, is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, low back disability, left hand disability (to include carpal tunnel syndrome), hypertension, and diabetes have all been denied. The Board found that the submitted evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.