Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for hepatitis C and asbestosis have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, secondary to service-connected acne vulgaris.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of hypertension in service or within one year of separation. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability and that his contentions were not credible.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for hepatitis C was also denied as there is no evidence showing that he received VA blood transfusion in December 2001, or that the transfusion caused his hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing and nature of his exposure to herbicides, as well as incomplete treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to verify proximity to Vietnam and obtain pertinent VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise and resolved all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding a current diagnosis related to an in-service stressor. Other service connection claims are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether hepatitis B, noted as significant in the death certificate, is related to viral hepatitis found in service. The examiner must determine if hepatitis B was at least as likely as not caused by or contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for chronic headaches and arthritis, bilateral hands was denied as the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.,The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for hepatitis C, bilateral vision issues, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer were also denied due to lack of material evidence addressing the service connection elements of in-service incurrence or nexus.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for various issues due to the lack of an adequate substantive appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted as new and material evidence was received.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has been reopened due to the receipt of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The claims for Meniere’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease/Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include generalized anxiety disorder), cirrhosis of the liver, a left shoulder disability, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity are all remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's lower back disability, right hip disability, and hepatitis C were not shown in service or related to an in-service injury or disease. The claims for these conditions are denied. The claim for a TDIU is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis, including complications of the liver, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The decision also noted that the presumptive provisions do not apply in this case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of pseudofolliculitis barbae was granted.,Claims for service connection for spondylosis of the lumbar spine and hepatitis C are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of both lower extremities, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU effective December 2, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence showing a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and its relation to service. The examiner must address whether the cause of death is directly related to active service, including a January 1970 diagnosis of infectious hepatitis.

The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver and chronic pancreatitis are found to be related to his exposure to Chlordane during military service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's herbicide exposure and his service-connected conditions, including hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis A, B, and C, and liver cirrhosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and its residuals due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected condition and other diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as COPD, CHF, and cirrhosis. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of CAD at the time of his death, which is not service-connected due to lack of evidence. DM was also noted but deemed not contributing to death. The Board concluded that there is no competent medical evidence linking any of these conditions to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatocellular carcinoma and PTSD due to potential service connection, but requires additional medical opinions regarding causation.