Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to appellate review for the issues of service connection for PTSD, cirrhosis, Hepatitis C and follicular lymphoma.

The Veteran's appeals for hepatitis C, type II diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and major depressive disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran requested a withdrawal of these appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a disability of service origin, finding that cirrhosis of the liver did not result from any service-connected condition. The Veteran died in 1971 as a result of cirrhosis of the liver.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and right foot disability were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.,Memory loss is considered a symptom of the service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety, so it does not warrant separate service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his own willful misconduct, and at the time of death he was not in receipt of compensation for service-connected disability that met the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C service connection was denied, and his PTSD claim was reopened but not granted. The case is remanded to consider the PTSD claim on its merits.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his liver cancer or hepatitis C is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to lack of new and material evidence, concluding that the appellant's statements do not provide a credible medical opinion linking the Veteran's cause of death to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and is not related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's impotence is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD, but it also has no clear relation to any in-service event.

The Board dismissed the claims of service connection for a right ear cyst and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis C as there was no final RO decision on these issues, and the Veteran did not file timely NODs.

The Veteran's tinnitus, liver cirrhosis, and gallbladder removal are all found to be related to service. The effective date for these determinations is not specified.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to oversight of the Veteran being put on dialysis in ICU immediately following his CABG surgery, which may have contributed to his development of hepatitis C. The VA physician is asked to reconsider their medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran acquired hepatitis C as a result of his November 2000 CABG surgery and hospitalization at VAMC.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to hepatic failure and clostridium difficile, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was granted a 60% rating prior to September 1, 2015. A TDIU was also granted prior to September 1, 2015. The effective date for the TDIU is March 10, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and the relationship between service-connected conditions and the Veteran's liver cancer.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities and hepatitis C due to a lack of sufficient evidence to decide the claim. The RO is instructed to obtain all VA medical records, schedule the Veteran for an examination, and provide a definitive opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his knee conditions and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service, but his peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities is aggravated by his diabetes mellitus. His bilateral ear injury claim has no current evidence of a disability other than hearing loss and tinnitus. His chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with emphysema is not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and an examination to assess his ability to work.