Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and an increased evaluation for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran was not granted service connection for cirrhosis, as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. For the period prior to October 24, 2011, a 10 percent rating was granted for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis; however, higher ratings were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: service connection for liver disorder and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's liver disorder may be related to his service, including exposure to herbicides, but a VA examination is needed to determine this. His bilateral hearing loss also needs to be evaluated due to the amount of time since the last evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asbestosis, hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes), and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to incomplete notification of prior decisions and need for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional opinions are needed to fully address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential issues with the presumption of soundness and secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism and hepatitis due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of his hypothyroidism. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran was granted service connection for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the claim for service connection for Meniere's syndrome is remanded.

The Veteran's hepatitis B was not service-connected because the onset is unclear and there is no direct evidence linking it to his honorable periods of service. The case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his hepatitis C was caused by in-service immunizations or if it was a result of substance use disorder related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, concluding that Hepatitis C and liver disease were not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to final adjudication of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA medical records and providing a VA examination for his liver disorder.,The Veteran’s service-connected type II diabetes mellitus may be aggravated by his liver disorder. The examiner should provide an opinion on whether this aggravation is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his diabetes.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is manifested by daily fatigue, arthralgia and malaise, requiring continuous medication during the period on appeal. The Board has granted a higher 20 percent rating for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is not related to any in-service events or injuries, and thus service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

Service connection for hepatitis C is dismissed.,Service connection for PTSD is denied.,Service connection for other specified depressive disorder with anxiety is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is not related to any in-service events or injuries, and thus service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, as evidenced by her inability to perform physical or sedentary work due to chronic neck and back pain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis due to a lack of a timely notice of disagreement or new and material evidence, and because the AOJ has not adjudicated this matter in its supplemental statement of the case. The Veteran is also requested to provide information about any outstanding records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.,Service connection granted for migraine headaches as aggravated by PTSD. The issue of a sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, and Hepatitis C are both remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hepatitis C and denied the claim on the merits. The Veteran's current evidence does not establish a nexus between his in-service air gun inoculations and his current diagnosis of hepatitis C.

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