Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's death was not due to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with associated radiculopathy.,The cause of the Veteran's death (chronic respiratory failure, acute on chronic diastolic heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and cirrhosis) is not considered to be related to his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hepatitis C, soft tissue sarcoma, and chloracne due to new evidence received since the last denial. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as the evidence did not support a finding that his condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist with osteopenia was also denied, as the evidence did not show ankylosis or other functional equivalent of ankylosis.

The Board's decision is vacated for not addressing the Veteran's claim of service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder. The case is remanded to address this issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical records and the need for a thorough evaluation to determine if service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and whether his hypertension contributed to his death. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a new VA medical opinion on these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C, and tinnitus due to incomplete records from VA medical facilities. The Veteran is also asked to provide updated VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C, specifically whether it is proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with alcohol dependence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, but has remanded them due to a lack of authorization from the Veteran to obtain relevant Red Cross records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and Burkitt's lymphoma due to a procedural issue with the issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, heart disorder, right hip disorder (secondary to lumbar spine disorder), back disorder (including ankylosing spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine), and radiculopathy of both lower extremities.,Service connection is not granted for liver disorder to include hepatitis or obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the cases for further evaluation due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the diagnosed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes mellitus type II due to a right ankle disability. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, finding that there is not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence to support these claims.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for a liver disability, including hepatitis C and cirrhosis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease. The appeal is also remanded for further development on other issues.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for hepatitis C due to inadequate rationale in a previous opinion and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested withdrawal of his appeals for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of hiatal hernia repair.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete treatment records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the AOJ is required to remand them due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection remains denied for a skin disability (other than residuals of a cyst on the left ear), hepatitis A, an eye disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The back disability claim has also been remanded.