Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has decided that the case needs further development due to incomplete medical records and need for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bowel disorder and an increased rating for infectious hepatitis with deficiency of factor 7, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims. The Veteran's bowel disorder is not considered proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected condition, while his current rating for infectious hepatitis remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was granted service connection, but his increased rating claims for degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy, and knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hepatitis C had its onset during his service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was rated at 20 percent prior to June 1, 2012 and increased to 40 percent as of June 1, 2012. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's death was caused by liver cirrhosis, which the Board finds may be related to his alcohol abuse disorder. The cause of death claim is REMANDED for a new VA opinion on whether PTSD with anxiety led to or aggravated the alcohol abuse disorder and thus contributed to the Veteran’s death. For the lower and upper extremities conditions, the claims are also REMANDED as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection for the cause of death claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hepatitis C and tinnitus as claimed by the Veteran, did not preclude employment prior to May 18, 2011. The Board found that the evidence does not demonstrate that it is more likely than not the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities alone prior to May 18, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether COPD and hepatitis C were aggravated by any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, Hepatitis C, prostate cancer, and urinary incontinence due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the cases of hepatitis C, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and PTSD), and diabetes mellitus due to potential service connection issues. Specifically, it is unclear if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while serving aboard the U.S.S. Fresno in Vietnam waters.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hepatitis C and B due to insufficient information regarding herbicide agent exposure during service. The case is being returned for further action, including obtaining VA-authorized non-VA treatment records and attempting to verify in-service herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims, including for cirrhosis of the liver, GERD, prostate enlargement, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine (neck condition), and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his disabilities, particularly those related to his right foot and back. The Veteran will need to undergo additional VA examinations to address these issues.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to lack of information about his employment history and duties. The Board requests the Veteran to provide an application for TDIU and any evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities alone render him unemployable.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected conditions, specifically respiratory failure, loculated empyema body cavity, liver cancer, or hepatitis C. The decision also mentions possible herbicide exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and depression due to their inextricability with the issues of service connection for hepatitis B and right inguinal hernia.,Service connection for hepatitis B and right inguinal hernia remains denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a sleep disorder, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and an effective date earlier than September 18, 2017, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis C is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The Veteran has not provided authorization for release of his private medical records, which are necessary for proper evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of clarity in the medical opinion provided, and additional evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with depression.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various conditions, including nerve damage, tinnitus, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, gastritis, bilateral hearing loss, and fibromyalgia. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.