Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined, rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment during the rating period from January 20, 2016 through December 6, 2021. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened and is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his active-duty service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, low back disability, neck disability, and gout. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, liver disorder, blood disorder, kidney disorder, and heart disorder due to exposures at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran was not afforded in-person examinations as instructed by prior remand directives.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues related to obstructive sleep apnea, hepatitis C, allergies, perforated ear drum, vision disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical spine, and shoulder disabilities has been withdrawn. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has granted reimbursement for the medical expenses incurred by the Veteran at Carthage Area Hospital on September 9, 2008, to September 10, 2008, due to his service-connected conditions and the emergency nature of his syncopal episodes.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete record and a need for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically related to his alleged in-service stressors and acquired psychiatric disability. The claim is being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the claim for hepatitis C due to a lack of an examination, and it is unclear if the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his military duties.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA opinion regarding the cause of death and its relationship to service-connected conditions, including heart conditions presumed related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for further examinations. The issues include frostbite of the bilateral feet, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), hypertension, hepatitis C, erectile dysfunction, skin disability, lower back disability, skeletal arthritis, bilateral eye disability, bilateral sinus disability, esophageal disability, and stomach disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sclerosing cholangitis with cirrhosis, status post liver transplantation is remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA medical opinion. The case requires further development including obtaining additional records and providing an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and hepatitis C. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, hypotension, dysphagia, muscle weakness, hyperplasia of the prostate, bilateral lower extremity corns and callosities with dermatophytosis, bilateral lower extremity metatarsalgia, Parkinson's disease, anemia, hepatitis C, transient ischemic attack, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, thrombocytopenia with melena, and mixed hyperlipidemia and hyperbilirubinemia due to inadequate medical opinions based on the absence of contemporaneous documentation in service records.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his cirrhosis, hepatitis C, congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease to his military service.

The Veteran seeks an effective date prior to July 9, 2012, for the award of service connection for hepatitis C.,The Veteran also contends that his service-connected hepatitis C warrants a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hepatitis A was denied as the symptoms he reported were not caused by the condition and his hepatitis A is resolved and asymptomatic.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) claims are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.,The right hand, left hand, left foot, right knee, right hip, and right leg disability claims are denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's diagnosis was not related to his military service and more likely due to IV drug use and a history of sexually transmitted diseases.