Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis B as there is no current diagnosis of a liver disability, and the Veteran's claims fail to meet the first prong of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 9, 2009 for a 100% evaluation for seizure disorder (now claimed as a neurological disorder) is denied.,The Veteran’s claims of service connection for left hand pain/numbness, right hand pain/numbness, numbness and tingling of the left foot, numbness and tingling of the right foot, and numbness of the left side of the face and body are remanded.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a skin rash is remanded.,The Veteran’s claim of service connection for hepatitis C is remanded.,The Veteran’s claim of an evaluation greater than 10 percent for residual scarring status post-brain surgery to treat the service-connected seizure disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to multiple conditions, none of which are service-connected. The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Korea and thus denied service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents, and a new etiology opinion is required.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty exposure.

The Veteran's cause of death is related to his military service, but the Board finds that the VA medical opinions are inadequate and requires further development.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during service and is denied.,Rheumatoid arthritis was not incurred or aggravated during service and is denied.,Type II diabetes mellitus was not diagnosed within the applicable presumptive period and is denied.,Numbness in the hands and feet, presumed secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, is not supported by evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for hepatitis and depression, finding no new and material evidence that would support reopening the claims.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea is granted, and he is also granted a TDIU due to his service-connected psychiatric disability, COPD, and hepatitis B preventing him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has ordered remand for the Veteran to be provided with adequate VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his hepatitis B and erectile dysfunction claims. The current evidence is insufficient to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that hepatitis C was related to active military service and is the underlying cause of death.

The Veteran's tinnitus and major depressive disorder have been granted service connection. The Board has also remanded several issues related to his lower extremities, lumbar spine, ankles, feet, and kidneys due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and Hepatitis C have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives. The primary issue is determining which of the two disorders, cirrhosis or GERD, is predominant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis, and hepatitis C due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis B, hyperaldosteronism, hypokalemia, and hypertension due to outstanding records and need for new medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hepatitis due to further development, including obtaining medical opinions on whether these conditions are related to service-connected PTSD or if they have existed since approximately June 2012.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, Hepatitis C, and Cirrhosis of the Liver as these conditions were not shown to be related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for loss of sense of smell, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active service. The claim was also denied for compensable ratings for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C due to lack of medical nexus.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran’s current conditions to his military service.