Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's diagnosed hepatitis C is found to have started during his active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder is found to have contributed to his death from lung cancer, as the evidence shows that his alcohol abuse and resulting liver damage were related to his anxiety disorder. The Board finds in favor of the appellant.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cardiac disability, and remanded her claims for an increased rating for hepatitis B, a disability rating greater than 10 percent for residuals of a lumbar spine disc herniation, and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's fatal liver condition and his service, including potential exposure to herbicides. The decision also acknowledges new contentions about psychiatric disorders related to Vietnam service.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether hepatitis C, diagnosed during the appeal period, is related to service. The Veteran's claim for hepatic steatosis and hepatitis C will be further developed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hepatitis C, PTSD, and ulnar neuropathy of the left upper extremity have been denied as his service discharge was considered dishonorable for VA purposes.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver are granted as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder with substance abuse. His major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since December 27, 2011.

The Board has decided that further efforts are needed to ensure VA has satisfied its duty to assist the Appellant in obtaining all of the Veteran's records from Dr. A.P.K., who treated the Veteran for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis, nervous disorder, and disability manifested by alcoholism due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to outstanding federal records and inextricably interwined TDIU claim.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's claim was not supported by evidence showing a causal relationship between his in-service injuries and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the file, and a medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's fatal complications of hepatitis C were related to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death, hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C infection, is not service connected as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis, hearing loss, and asthma have been reopened. The Board found that the evidence submitted since the March 2008 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact (a relationship between his service and these conditions) and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating their claims.

The Board denied a compensable rating for service-connected hepatitis, finding that the Veteran's condition was nonsymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was rated as noncompensable prior to April 20, 2016 and increased to 20 percent effective April 20, 2016. The Board found no higher ratings were warranted for the periods in question. Sleep apnea service connection is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disabilities other than PTSD (depression and generalized anxiety disorder) due to a lack of contemporaneous records. The Veteran's service connection claims will be readjudicated after these examinations are completed.

The Board has denied claims for service connection for hepatitis C, substance abuse, and anti-social personality disorder. The claim for schizophrenia is remanded as the Veteran was not provided a Statement of the Case regarding this issue.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, status post interbody fusion L5-S1 as the evidence did not show it began during service or was related to an in-service injury.,Service connection was also denied for neuralgia of the right lower extremity because there is no evidence that it began during service and is not otherwise related to a service-connected disability. The Board found that the Veteran's current condition may be due to his low back disorder, but this does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.,The claim for left lower extremity pain was denied as there is no current diagnosis of radiculopathy or evidence showing it began during service. The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis and VA examinations found no signs of radiculopathy.,Service connection for hepatitis was denied because the condition did not manifest within one year after service, and there is no evidence linking it to contaminated water exposure from Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right hip disorder, hepatitis C, tension headaches (claimed as migraine headaches), and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include bipolar disorder and PTSD due to additional evidence being submitted since the last decision.