Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C, bilateral Dupuytren's contracture, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all related to his service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of SSA records and for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and porphyria cutanea tarda, with the latter being secondary to hepatitis C. The decision is based on evidence that supports a finding of current disability and a causal relationship between the conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not attributable to his period of active military service.

The Veteran's spouse is in need of regular aid and attendance due to her advanced liver disease, which has led to a decline in physical stamina and inability to meet daily living needs. The Board finds that the evidence supports this conclusion.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and addressing whether the Veteran's death was related to service-connected conditions or other factors.

The Veteran is granted a 40 percent rating for hepatitis C, effective April 29, 2002. The case of the initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is REMANDED.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hepatitis, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as her claimed conditions are not shown to be related to her active duty or National Guard service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant treatment records from the Veteran's healthcare providers and the Social Security Administration.

The VA determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to any in-service incident. The medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, granting secondary service connection for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hepatitis C due to an endoscopic procedure performed at the Miami, Florida VA is denied as there is no evidence that the procedure caused his pre-existing hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hepatitis C is not related to his military service, including air gun vaccinations or tattoos he received in service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability claim information. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of residuals of a spelenectomy was denied as there is no legal entitlement to such due to the lack of correspondence prior to November 23, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis infection was not incurred in active duty, as there is no evidence of exposure to hepatitis A or C during service and his current hepatitis B infection did not occur during active military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the Veteran and the appellant's request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, and a liver condition.