Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship of the Veteran's hepatitis C to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an allergy to aspirin and hepatitis have been denied. Additionally, the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on various orthopedic conditions and scars have also been denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the nature of his hepatitis C in 2010 and whether a weight loss between February 2010 and April 2010 was due to his hepatitis C. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the hepatitis C claim.

The VA has restored the appellant's 20% rating for hepatitis C, effective February 29, 2016. The other service connection claims are denied as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and major depressive disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's in-service 'infectious hepatitis' was a hepatitis B infection. The AOJ must obtain clarification from the VA clinician who provided the June 2022 VA opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional evidence. The Veteran's lay reports regarding a blood splash incident are also being considered.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection claims related to his cervical strain, umbilical hernia, hepatitis C, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's deviated nasal septum, right wrist disorder, and umbilical hernia appeals were withdrawn.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for hepatitis C before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claim for a scar of the posterolateral scalp was granted with an effective date of July 28, 2011.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted. The Veteran reported experiencing these conditions during service and continuing to experience them since then.,Service connection for hepatitis C/liver disorder was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for alcoholic cirrhosis, finding that it is proximately caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder and hepatitis C. The issues have been remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for lower back disorder, sinusitis, rhinitis, hepatitis C, and traumatic brain injury as there was no evidence of a current disability or causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for a chronic gastric condition (other than IBS, diverticulosis, and hepatitis) are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his digestive system conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis and mononucleosis, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including major depressive disorder with anxious features), cirrhosis of the liver, and pancreatitis are being remanded due to insufficient verification of stressor events and exposure records. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information or support for these claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on multiple conditions, including chronic stomach condition, cirrhosis of the liver, enlarged heart, hypertensive vascular disease, low back condition, and sciatica of the left leg.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate consideration of 2007 VA treatment records indicating hepatitis C, and for an addendum opinion on the etiology of any liver disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant private treatment records and conducting a VA examination to address the Veteran's hepatitis infection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied as there is no current or recent diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied due to a lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for hypertension.