Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C with fibrosis of the liver and COPD and asthma, finding that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service. The Board noted multiple in-service risk factors including drug use but also post-service risk factors such as incarceration and continued drug use.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for hepatitis C service connection. Tinnitus service connection is granted, but the hearing loss claim remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability was incurred during his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. Service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, right hip condition, right knee condition, right ankle condition, and right foot condition due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The claims are reopened but further evaluation is needed.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, liver disease, gallbladder condition, and stomach disorder. The VA examinations conducted in August 2020 were not sufficient as they did not consider the Veteran’s reported in-service risk factors.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding entitlement to initial, increased, and TDIU ratings for Hepatitis C due to the Veteran's timely opt-in into the Appeals Modernization Act review system.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted service connection. The issues of diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, and hepatitis are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, hepatitis C, and headaches due to incomplete records. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the disability already has the maximum permissible schedular rating.,Service connection for hearing loss is denied because there is no current evidence of a ratable hearing loss disability according to VA standards.,An effective date earlier than December 6, 2011 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied as the Veteran did not submit a claim until that date.,The Veteran's right-hand condition is currently rated at the maximum allowed and no higher rating is granted.,Service connection for a left-hand condition, mental condition, headaches, or hepatitis is denied based on lack of evidence supporting these conditions during service or since then.,Headaches are not service-connected.,Hepatitis is not service-connected.

The Board denied compensation benefits for hepatitis C due to a blood transfusion at a VA medical facility in 1979 or 1980, finding that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on part of VA physicians.

The Veteran's liver disease, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis, is not considered to be related to his service at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes), and cirrhosis of the liver as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for malaria and hepatitis, as well as his back disability, were denied. His claim for increased rating of a psychiatric disability was also denied.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, as the evidence does not show that his cardiorespiratory arrest, septic shock, renal failure and cirrhosis were related to his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that it is not related to his in-service duties or any other risk factors. The decision also noted that the Veteran's substance abuse disorder, which he claimed was due to PTSD, did not cause or aggravate his Hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cirrhosis of the liver and bilateral knee disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran will need further VA medical evaluations to determine if his conditions are related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C disorder was not diagnosed until after service and is more likely due to post-service drug use, thus denying service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his in-service hepatitis A infection, and therefore service connection for residuals of hepatitis A is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service, including in-service immunizations from jet injectors and shared razors. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

Your initial 100% rating for cirrhosis of the liver with autoimmune hepatitis has already been granted and is effective since June 23, 2015. Therefore, your current claim is dismissed as moot.