Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hepatitis C or an acquired psychiatric disability, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The Board has remanded the cases to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between the Veteran's military service and his death.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia and withdrawn the appeals for service connection for a lung disability, sleep apnea, heart disability, diabetes, hepatitis C, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and left eye disorder due to insufficient evidence in the March 2017 VA examination. The Veteran's claim is based on a rape event during active duty, which was already acknowledged by the RO when granting her PTSD service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hepatitis disability. The Veteran is also seeking a compensable rating for his varicocele and varicocele surgical scar, which requires further examination.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,Claims for right shoulder and left shoulder disorders were also denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hearing loss, left ankle collateral ligament sprain, left lower extremity sciatic nerve pain, left shoulder glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, myopia and retinal hole lattice degeneration (claimed as bilateral eye retina problems, thinning, and vision decrease), right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right knee strain, right lower extremity sciatic nerve pain, right shoulder glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, a severe stomach and colon condition, fibromyalgia, steatohepatitis, vertigo and balance issues, and flat feet; and entitlement to increased evaluations for lumbosacral strain, GERD, left knee strain, restrictive lung disease, allergic rhinitis, PB, a skin rash, and tension headaches. The Veteran was also remanded for VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and tinnitus.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The appeals for lumbar spine disability, hepatitis C, and sleep disorder are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action on several issues, including PTSD ratings and compensation claims. Specific actions required include obtaining SSA records and issuing a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for cataracts, wrist condition, back condition, Hepatitis C, and periodontitis were granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a chronic back condition and Hepatitis C are now reopened.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and thus concluding there is no valid claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C disability was not service-connected prior to July 20, 2006. The appeal is remanded for further development and rating considerations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disability, respiratory disability (COPD), hepatitis C, and balance issues due to VA's failure to substantially comply with its previous remand instructions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, service connection for a liver disability (hepatitis C and cirrhosis), and service connection for a heart disability due to incomplete or inadequate evidence in the record.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder and hepatitis C, finding that the evidence did not support these claims.,Service connection was also denied for cause of death due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's renal failure to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for hepatitis C remains on appeal. The Board has ordered remand to obtain a new VA examination assessing the current severity of his service-connected hepatitis C.

The appeal for service connection of a cervical condition is dismissed.,Service connection granted for left and right ankle conditions, with the Board finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service complaints and treatment.

The Veteran's tinnitus, migraines, hepatitis A, right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of audiometric testing results in post-service treatment records. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and tinnitus.