Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the need for additional opinions regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and hepatitis C are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of VA examinations and incomplete evidence. The Veteran is requested to undergo VA examinations for hepatitis C, cervical spine disability, lower back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C and whether his reported hepatitis A diagnosis was related to his subsequently diagnosed hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death and if his end stage liver disease, cirrhosis, and end stage renal disease were related to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the case.

The Veteran's stage II-IV cirrhosis with hepatitis C is granted as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during his active service. The appeal for DIC benefits based on the cause of death is denied.

The Board has determined that the VA did not obtain a necessary VA examination before deciding the service connection claim for infectious hepatitis or its residuals. The case is being remanded to schedule an examination and provide a medical opinion on whether the Veteran currently has a hepatitis disorder or any related residuals, and if so, whether it is at least as likely as not that the current condition had its onset during military service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected congenital apathic dysfunction, which is currently rated as noncompensable. The decision finds that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran’s symptoms most nearly approximated intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C with fibrosis of the liver and COPD and asthma, finding that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service. The Board noted multiple in-service risk factors including drug use but also post-service risk factors such as incarceration and continued drug use.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for hepatitis C service connection. Tinnitus service connection is granted, but the hearing loss claim remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability was incurred during his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. Service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, right hip condition, right knee condition, right ankle condition, and right foot condition due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The claims are reopened but further evaluation is needed.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, liver disease, gallbladder condition, and stomach disorder. The VA examinations conducted in August 2020 were not sufficient as they did not consider the Veteran’s reported in-service risk factors.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding entitlement to initial, increased, and TDIU ratings for Hepatitis C due to the Veteran's timely opt-in into the Appeals Modernization Act review system.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted service connection. The issues of diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, and hepatitis are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, hepatitis C, and headaches due to incomplete records. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the disability already has the maximum permissible schedular rating.,Service connection for hearing loss is denied because there is no current evidence of a ratable hearing loss disability according to VA standards.,An effective date earlier than December 6, 2011 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied as the Veteran did not submit a claim until that date.,The Veteran's right-hand condition is currently rated at the maximum allowed and no higher rating is granted.,Service connection for a left-hand condition, mental condition, headaches, or hepatitis is denied based on lack of evidence supporting these conditions during service or since then.,Headaches are not service-connected.,Hepatitis is not service-connected.

The Board denied compensation benefits for hepatitis C due to a blood transfusion at a VA medical facility in 1979 or 1980, finding that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on part of VA physicians.