Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected hepatitis C, and for issuance of an SOC regarding his claims of service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder injuries.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for hepatitis C was denied by the Board, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 7354.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of yellow jaundice and infectious hepatitis, to include a liver disorder and a disorder of the urinary tract is being remanded due to an inadequate VA examination. The examiner relied on inaccurate factual information in reaching their conclusions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's fatal diseases to his military service and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with hepatitis C, which the Board finds was incurred in service. Service connection for hepatitis C is granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for viral hepatitis and found that new and material evidence has been received. Service connection is granted for viral hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right arm/elbow tendonitis, bilateral hip disability (secondary to left knee injury), and back disability (secondary to left knee injury).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, respiratory disorder (asthma), and hepatitis C. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for a back disorder.

The Veteran was granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver effective February 12, 2010. This decision is based on new and material evidence received after prior final decisions denying his claim.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has not improved and continues to cause significant symptoms including fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and substantial weight loss. The current disability rating of 60 percent is appropriate.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for liver cirrhosis was granted prior to July 30, 2010.,Starting from July 30, 2010, the Veteran received a 50% evaluation for his service-connected liver cirrhosis until September 7, 2015 when it was increased to 100%

The Veteran's death was not caused by his active duty service, and there is no evidence of a service-connected disability that contributed to his death. The cause of death was prostate cancer, sepsis, and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection and increased evaluation, as well as his entitlement to specially adapted housing and/or special home adaptations.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating for back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or caused by her service, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed hepatitis C, which caused his death from liver failure, cannot be reasonably disassociated from his active military service and has been shown to have caused or contributed substantially and materially to his death. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death was Laennec's cirrhosis, which is not service-connected. His DM II and pancreatitis are also not service-connected as they were not shown during his active duty.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a head injury and sinus disorder were denied, while his claim for hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver was granted. The Veteran's hepatitis C is linked to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hepatitis C and lymphoma did not have onset during active service, nor were they otherwise related to his active duty. The claims for hepatitis A, B, or C are denied as there is no evidence of chronicity within one year post-service. The claim for lymphoma secondary to hepatitis was also denied due to lack of a causal link.