Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability, hepatitis C, prostate cancer, and tuberculosis. The appeals to reopen these claims were unsuccessful due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to his left knee disability and consequent alcohol abuse. The issue of entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed as no benefit remains to be awarded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a rating in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis C, and TDIU due to incomplete development and lack of compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD), cirrhosis of the liver, and ischemic heart disease.

Service connection for hepatitis C is granted.,Service connection for liver disease other than hepatitis C is denied.,Service connection for a left shoulder disorder is denied.,Service connection for a low back disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder due to exposure to ionizing radiation and/or secondary to service-connected PTSD is remanded.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for hepatitis B, finding that the Veteran's service-connected condition has been nonsymptomatic throughout the appeal period and does not meet the criteria for a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hepatitis C is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, liver transplant, and a kidney disorder associated with diabetes mellitus, type II. Service connection for hepatitis C is denied as there is no evidence of current disability or causation. The right knee disorder claim was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and a respiratory disorder, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support these claims.,For hepatitis C, the Board concluded there was no evidence showing it began during service or was related to an in-service injury. For the respiratory disorder, the Board found insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his military service and his current condition.

The Veteran's liver cirrhosis was rated at 10 percent prior to July 13, 2012 and increased to 30 percent from July 13, 2012 to April 21, 2015. The rating was then increased to 50 percent from April 21, 2015 to prior to June 25, 2015.,The Veteran's liver cirrhosis is characterized by symptoms such as weakness, abdominal pain, malaise and weight loss during the periods of appeal. The Board found that an increased rating in excess of 30 percent was not warranted for any period on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver as secondary to hepatitis C. The diabetes mellitus type II and acquired psychiatric disability (depression and anxiety) claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver with portal hypertension, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.,Dependency indemnity compensation (DIC) based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death was also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to new medical evidence received from Kaiser Permanente, and a SSOC must be issued with an appropriate period for response.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of each acquired psychiatric disorder demonstrated during the appeal period or in proximity to the claim. The Veteran's hepatitis C is denied as it is due to willful misconduct.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that there is not enough evidence to support a claim of service connection for hepatitis C, and thus the claim is denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient medical evidence. The main issues are left foot disability, lumbar spine disability (secondary to a left foot disability), lung disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hepatitis C. Additional records need to be obtained from SSA, VA examinations for left foot and noise exposure, addendum opinions on lung disability and hearing loss, and an addendum opinion on hepatitis C.