Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's hepatitis C is remanded for further examination to determine if it was caused by his in-service drug use, which may be related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's cause of death was liver cancer, which may be related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service. A medical opinion is needed to determine if hepatitis C first manifested in service or is otherwise related to any inservice injury or disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination and missing VA Fast Letters, which may affect the determination of service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the condition and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's hepatic cirrhosis and associated complications are rated at 70 percent disabling, but the Board denied an increased rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during Vietnam service. The scar of the lumbar spine remains denied, and hypothyroidism and hepatitis C are remanded for further review.,An initial compensable rating for scarring head to toe is denied, and an acquired psychiatric disorder claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, PTSD, and substance abuse due to inextricably intertwined issues with service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case will be returned to the VA examiner for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) are being remanded due to the need for further development of the medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C has rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and hepatitis C have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, but the Board cannot award TDIU under § 4.16(b) in the first instance due to lack of schedular requirements. The case is REMANDED for an extraschedular determination as to whether he was entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypothyroidism and hepatitis B are granted, with the former being presumed due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The effective date is not specified as it falls within a presumptive period.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's in-service hospitalization and treatment for hepatitis A likely contributed to his later diagnosis of hepatitis C, which caused his death. Therefore, service connection is granted for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an incomplete medical opinion regarding hepatitis C and its relation to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding liver conditions and the Veteran's symptoms during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and service connection for PTSD. Additional development is needed, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of hepatitis C and any relationship between the Veteran's causes of death and his service-connected conditions.

The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for OSA and remanded for additional development. For hepatitis C, the VA examiner was requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to service or aggravated by service-connected hepatitis C. The depression issue remains unresolved.

Your claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been granted and is no longer pending.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and there were no exceptional factors from the service-connected disabilities that precluded him from obtaining and maintaining such employment.

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