Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's hepatitis B disability has not resulted in daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia with substantial weight loss or hepatomegaly, or incapacitating episodes lasting at least four weeks but less than six weeks within the past year. Therefore, a higher initial rating of more than 20 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 21, 2016 and as of that date was denied. The Board found no evidence supporting a rating higher than the current 10 percent or 20 percent ratings.,Service connection claims for right eye disorder, left eye disorder, alcohol dependence, liver disorder, renal disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and lower extremities were all denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by electrolyte imbalance, cirrhosis, and hepatitis C. The Board found no service connection for these conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to his active duty or any incident therein.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for hepatitis residuals and bilateral hearing loss have not met the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on housebound status from June 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008 due to insufficient evidence showing a single service-connected disability rated at 100% and additional disabilities that would qualify him for SMC.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated findings for his bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, and injury to Muscle Group XII. The issue of increased rating for PTSD requires a medical opinion on the effects of any substance abuse disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an updated VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining income information. The claim of entitlement to nonservice-connected pension is being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature of his service-connected disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C and congestive heart failure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previously denied claim. The Veteran was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2009 but there is no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment during active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his service personnel records and a VA examination. The exposure basis is attributed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and cirrhosis have been rated at 20 percent since May 20, 2015. The rating has not changed from the previous determination.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and hypertension have been dismissed as withdrawn during a Board hearing. The claim of residuals of hepatitis C has not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board videoconference hearing and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding his hepatitis C and PTSD initial rating issues.

The Board found that none of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were either the principal or contributory cause of his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The issues include reopening claims for various conditions, but the status of some claims and service connection theory are unknown.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and diabetes mellitus as they are not related to his active duty.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to September 24, 2008 was denied as his combined disability rating did not meet the minimum threshold requirement for an award of TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not have onset during active service and is not otherwise related to active service. The preponderance of evidence supports a finding that his hepatitis C was due to in-service IV drug use, which constitutes willful misconduct.