Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence added after the February 2020 SOC, and the claim for service connection for hepatitis C is still pending.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for sinusitis. The issues of service connection for hepatitis C and kidney stones are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted from August 10, 2022. Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II prior to that date is denied. The Veteran's hepatitis B is not service-connected.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities effective January 16, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection. Claims for Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, right foot hallux valgus and plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis were denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear statements in an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Hepatitis C. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, and the Board requires clarification on whether it was caused by his in-service tattoo or incidents related to STDs.

The Veteran's service connection claims for alcohol abuse disorder, bilateral callus, clavi, renal cell carcinoma, liver condition, and hepatitis C have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service for any of these conditions.,For pseudofolliculitis barbae, the Veteran's current condition has not met the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for hepatitis C, as secondary to PTSD, due to insufficient reasoning in previous opinions and a need for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral peripheral neuropathy, and hepatitis C to include liver disease as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death (hepatitis C) and related conditions, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.,Service connection was also denied for hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and thrombocytopenia, as the medical opinions found no causal relationship with service.

The Board has determined that the development conducted does not comply with prior remands and additional VA medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis is denied. The issues of hypertension, heart disability (secondary to hypertension), erectile dysfunction (secondary to hypertension), and gout are remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the case and there are no provisions for substituting a surviving spouse in this situation.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in or caused by his honorable period of service.,Service connection for right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and right shoulder disability are all denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence that these conditions began during active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of hepatitis C in service and that it is not due to or secondary to his service-connected PTSD with alcohol dependence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to unresolved issues regarding his hepatitis C and its impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's appeal for hepatitis service connection was dismissed due to the appellant's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding when and how the Veteran may have contracted hepatitis C, which led to his liver failure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because he is already receiving a combined rating of 100% for his service-connected conditions, which renders the issue irrelevant.

The reduction of the rating for cirrhosis of the liver to include hepatitis C from 60 percent to 10 percent, effective July 1, 2021, was improper and the 60 percent rating is restored. The Board also found that there were issues with service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, and eye disability due to incomplete service treatment records.