Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis B and diabetes mellitus type II due to a lack of representation by his current representative, Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GADVS).

The Veteran's service connection claim for hepatitis C was denied, but his claim for depressive disorder was granted. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's depressive disorder is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for back pain is being remanded.,The Veteran's request to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for right medial meniscectomy, posterior tear, is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, associated with diabetes mellitus. The case is remanded for further examination to determine if this condition is related to service-connected diabetes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability and remanded the claims for PTSD, left index finger fracture, and hepatitis. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The claims will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Veteran died in 2012 due to sepsis, hepatic carcinoma, end stage liver disease, and hepatitis C. The Board found no service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use of extremities, blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less, and other specific requirements.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, and PTSD. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to August 18, 2011 for the grant of service connection for GERD with insomnia is denied.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C remains pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbar arthralgia with lumbar spondylosis, right shoulder arthralgia, left shoulder arthralgia, left leg pain, and right leg pain are all pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension (high blood pressure) remains pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for dizziness, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) remain pending and will be remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), claimed as a respiratory condition, remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety and depression) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing treatment records from a VA facility in Maguire, Virginia, dating back to at least 1980.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete information regarding his periods of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve service. Additionally, a VA examination is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition, erectile dysfunction, sleep disorder, liver condition (hepatitis C), and papular dermatitis with pruritus of the right forearm.

The Veteran's cause of death is not related to service or a service-connected condition, and the Board finds that there is no nexus between his death and exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, liver disease (including cirrhosis of the liver and hepatoma), and depression, all found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis C, as well as the TDIU and SMC claims due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining retrospective medical opinions that reconcile conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for hepatitis B was denied, and his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities was also denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete examination reports.

The Veteran's hepatitis B was granted a 60% disability rating from June 30, 2015 to September 24, 2018. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the issue of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for chronic hepatitis C as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and it was attributed to non-service related risk factors.