Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis A, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis A began during his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for Hepatitis C due to concerns about the adequacy of previous medical opinions and the need for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding it to be related to in-service military sexual trauma.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected pension claim was denied because he did not serve during a period of wartime for pension eligibility purposes, and his service-connected disabilities were incurred during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and duty-to-assist errors, including a need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's liver conditions and obesity. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's hepatic hemangioma and NAFLD/early NASH, as well as whether his service-connected PTSD and lumbosacral strain with arthritis caused or aggravated his obesity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of hepatitis C, finding that there is no causal relationship between his in-service vaccinations and his current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination and corresponding opinions addressing each claim on a direct incurrence basis, with consideration of the Veteran's contentions of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and inguinal/ventral hernias as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran is granted a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) at the rate equal to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(m) effective October 26, 2021 due to his service-connected post stroke disabilities associated with hypertension.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's kidney disease is service connected, but has remanded for further development regarding his liver condition.

The Veteran's hepatitis B and GERD disabilities have been rated at 10 percent since April 2022, but the Board has denied a higher rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for hepatitis C is being remanded due to a failure to report to the scheduled examination and unclear notification issues.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no one has requested substitution for him.

The Board has granted readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that new and relevant evidence supports reopening the previously denied claim.

The appeal was dismissed for the issues of an increased rating for schizophrenia and TDIU, and service connection for hepatitis C was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence showing a diagnosis of hepatitis C during or within one year after active duty. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have any medical opinion linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis and its relationship to service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to challenges regarding the competency of the VA examiners and requests for information about their qualifications.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypothyroidism and liver disease. The claims are remanded to allow for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 3, 2020 for the service connection of cirrhosis of the liver. The Veteran's claim was not reasonably raised prior to this date as his cirrhosis diagnosis occurred on that day.