Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his active-duty service, warranting service connection. The claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in an inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore denied his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 15, 2014 for the service-connected acquired psychiatric disability is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a colon cancer disability, lung cancer disability (secondary to colon cancer), and respiratory disability (secondary to colon cancer) are remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing their etiology.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve disability, and hepatitis C disability is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her left knee condition and right wrist condition, prevented her from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire period of appeal.

The Veteran's cause of death is unknown and not service-connected. The Board denied DIC based on service connection for the cause of death as there was no evidence linking the cause of death to service.

The Board has remanded both hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver claims due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the in-service exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period September 27, 2014 to March 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C and a joint disease disability, as well as eligibility for NSC pension benefits prior to March 19, 2021, and special monthly pension (SMP), due to deficiencies in the medical opinions provided.

The Board has granted service connection for Hepatitis C and liver cancer, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The decision resolves all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issues of rating excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability and hepatitis C.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, but granted it for a liver disability and an enlarged spleen.,Service connection was also remanded for right knee and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for sinusitis, right hip osteoarthritis, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity have been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis, right hip osteoarthritis, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for liver condition, to include Hepatitis C, due to a failure to appear at a scheduled VA examination. The Veteran contends that his liver condition is related to service, specifically medical shots administered in his arm by servicemen upon entrance to service.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left knee disability, back disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, right ankle disability, hepatitis C, and arthritis. The evidence did not show a nexus between any of these conditions and service.

The Veteran was denied service connection for liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease for accrued benefits purposes.,There is no evidence linking the disabilities to service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of Hepatitis C, IBS, lower back disability, and left knee disability due to his withdrawal from appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, pulmonary emboli, and the cause of death due to insufficient development related to herbicide agent exposure and asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, status post liver transplant, a back condition, a muscle condition, and a respiratory condition. The Veteran was not afforded an examination to address his exposure to herbicide agents in the Philippines. An addendum opinion is needed regarding whether his hepatitis and status post liver transplant are related to Agent Orange exposure. A VA examination is also required for his claimed back and muscle conditions and respiratory condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and liver disability are denied. The Board grants a TDIU from November 27, 2016, but remands the issue of an extraschedular TDIU prior to that date.

The Veteran's service connection for cirrhosis is denied as it is related to hepatitis C, which was not incurred in service.,PTSD has been granted a 50% rating prior to March 10, 2020 and a higher than 70% rating thereafter.