Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, and hepatitis C. The reasons given were that the conditions did not manifest in service or within a presumptive period, there was no evidence of continuity of symptomatology, and there was insufficient medical opinion linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was granted a non-compensable rating prior to November 18, 2015 and a compensable rating from that date. A separate compensable rating for cirrhosis of the liver is granted starting from November 18, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain service treatment records from Castle Air Force Base regarding the Veteran's 1972 hospitalization for hepatitis C. The RO is instructed to attempt to retrieve these records and provide an addendum opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hepatitis C was related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis A, B, and C, as well as anxiety disorder are reopened.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of hepatitis C, specifically in relation to service and air gun vaccinations.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability and hepatitis C, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and for further evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, as well as TDIU.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's left shoulder and right shoulder osteoarthritis, unspecified depressive disorder, hypertension, hepatitis C, headache, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity are all granted service connection.,Service connection for sleep apnea is granted as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of a right-hand injury and non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver due to DBNP, finding that there is no link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that any hypertension diagnosed post-service is not related to his military service.,The Veteran's service connection claim for a penis disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that any penis disability diagnosed post-service is not related to his military service.,The Veteran's service connection claim for psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressed features) is granted as it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hepatitis C.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hepatitis C is granted based on new evidence that reopened the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to refractory hypovolemic shock, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding esophageal varices, and liver cirrhosis as these conditions were not related to military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and an increased evaluation for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran was not granted service connection for cirrhosis, as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. For the period prior to October 24, 2011, a 10 percent rating was granted for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis; however, higher ratings were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: service connection for liver disorder and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's liver disorder may be related to his service, including exposure to herbicides, but a VA examination is needed to determine this. His bilateral hearing loss also needs to be evaluated due to the amount of time since the last evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asbestosis, hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes), and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to incomplete notification of prior decisions and need for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional opinions are needed to fully address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential issues with the presumption of soundness and secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism and hepatitis due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of his hypothyroidism. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.