Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence showing a diagnosis of hepatitis C during or within one year after active duty. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have any medical opinion linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis and its relationship to service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to challenges regarding the competency of the VA examiners and requests for information about their qualifications.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypothyroidism and liver disease. The claims are remanded to allow for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 3, 2020 for the service connection of cirrhosis of the liver. The Veteran's claim was not reasonably raised prior to this date as his cirrhosis diagnosis occurred on that day.

The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis, toenail fungus, hepatitis C, a left hand/thumb disorder, and right hand disorders. The claim for a right knee disorder is remanded due to the failure of the October 2020 VA examiner to discuss in-service treatment.

The Veteran's steatohepatitis disability is related to the in-service use of isoniazid, and the Board finds service connection for this condition is warranted.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and liver cancer. The appellant did not file a claim for accrued benefits within one year of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and liver cancer. The appellant did not file a claim for accrued benefits within one year of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for hepatitis C prior to October 20, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter has been dismissed. The case is remanded for further development regarding the TDIU claim.

Service connection is granted for GERD (acid reflux).,Service connection is denied for Hepatitis C and Sleep apnea.,The claim of service connection for asthma remains pending and requires further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back condition have been denied. The Board found no evidence to support a finding that the conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and esophageal varices, finding that these conditions are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Service connection for depression was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022.,The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the Veteran had pre-existing left and right ankle disabilities or lower extremity neuropathy prior to service. The claims are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's hepatitis C claim was denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's thoracic back condition claim was denied due to lack of in-service injury and insufficient continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because he is already receiving a total schedular rating for his service-connected disabilities, and no single disability alone establishes unemployability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's liver disability, skin cancer, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all being reviewed.

The Board has determined that there are pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the Veteran's claims for emphysema and hepatitis C, requiring further examination to determine if these conditions are service-connected.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's claim to include hepatitis C and Non-A Non-B hepatitis due to a positive blood test during service. The VA examiner's opinion is deemed inadequate, and a new examination is required.

The Board has found that the Veteran's May 5, 2020 notice of disagreement (NOD) was timely filed in response to the March 20, 2020 Statement of the Case. As a result, the appeal is granted for the issues related to hepatitis C and reopening claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a head injury, depression, and sleep apnea.