Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the cause of death and service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for cirrhosis of the liver due to in-service herbicide exposure and/or PTSD. A new medical opinion is needed to address whether the cirrhosis began during service, is related to PTSD, or was aggravated by PTSD.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to potential worsening of symptoms and the need to clarify which symptoms are attributable specifically to his service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis A, B, or C due to a lack of current diagnosis and no evidence of functional disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for infectious hepatitis and hepatitis C, as well as the claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability prior to July 6, 2017. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened, and he is now entitled to a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, including as secondary to hepatitis C, also remains pending. A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the relationship between his hepatitis C and any current liver pathology.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection of hepatitis C, finding that it is not related to service and attributing the condition to multiple sexual partners.

Service connection granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder.,Service connection denied for hepatitis B.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hepatitis C, liver damage, B-cell lymphoma cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claims are inextricably intertwined with the claim for service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is etiologically related to her active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy.,The evidence did not establish a direct link between the Veteran's active duty service and his diagnosed conditions, nor could it support secondary service connection based on his other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's chronic hepatitis has not been manifested by daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia (without weight loss or hepatomegaly), requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication, or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least two weeks, but less than four weeks, during the past 12-month period. As such, her claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C and COPD to include as secondary to service-connected CAD, finding that new VA opinions are needed due to insufficient previous opinions.

The Veteran's liver cancer is granted service connection as it is presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The issues of sleep apnea and residuals of hepatitis C are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left great toe disorder, hepatitis C, and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, tuberculosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, fatty liver, hepatitis B virus, and sleep disorder (including sleep apnea) as the evidence did not support their onset or causation during active duty.,For each condition, the Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable aggravation of a preexisting condition in service, and the conditions were less likely than not incurred or caused by an in-service injury, event, or illness.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchitis, hepatitis C, and PTSD. Service connection for gonorrhea is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his liver cancer was caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma, hearing loss, and hepatitis C due to a lack of VA examinations. The Veteran contends that his conditions are related to his military service.