Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability, pes planus, hepatitis C, and PTSD were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for hepatitis and spinal meningitis as there is no evidence of current disabilities during or proximate to the appeal period.,For the remaining issues, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diverticulitis, and a prostate condition, the case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was initially rated at 10% and later increased to 20%, but the Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's fibrosis of the liver and its relationship to his service-connected hepatitis C. The TDIU issue is also inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C but denied service connection for a thyroid disorder, finding that the current thyroid condition is not etiologically related to active service and was not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board finds that the evidence is in at least equipoise that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his service, specifically an in-service tattoo. As such, service connection for hepatitis C is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and the appeal for hepatitis C has been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claim for Hepatitis C is being reviewed again with additional evidence.

The Veteran's death was attributed to intraoperative bleeding due to splenectomy, which was not caused by his service-connected conditions. The Board found that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's liver disability, including hepatitis and steatosis and fatty liver disease, had its onset during his active duty service. The Board also found that the evidence supports a finding of an in-service incurrence of a disease or injury for obstructive sleep apnea prior to May 13, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's bipolar disorder and Hepatitis A vaccination residuals are not related to his service.,Both conditions were denied as there was no evidence of an in-service event or injury leading to these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to verify the Veteran's exposure to risk factors for hepatitis C in service and to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding his claimed service connection. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during his active service, and therefore denied the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and an addendum opinion regarding his service-connected renal calculi.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 2, 2004 for the award of SMC based on aid and attendance was denied as there was no earlier ascertainable increase in disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records and medical opinions regarding his hepatitis C, bilateral hearing loss, and hemorrhoids.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is more likely than not related to his military service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C is not related to service, and his bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant a compensable rating.