Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

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

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of current or service-connected hepatitis C. The Veteran's PTSD with MDD was also denied, as the evidence did not support a finding that his condition had worsened since his last examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hepatitis B and C have been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and completing a risk factors questionnaire. The Veteran's hepatitis C may have been caused by his intranasal cocaine use prior to service, tattoos noted on entrance examination in November 1979, or vaccinations by air gun injection during active service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to hepatitis C infection is denied as there is no evidence of VA treatment in the 1980s or 2003 that caused his current condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis C and COPD were not present during service or due to any incident during service. The examiner opined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was less likely than not incurred in or caused by his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C with fatigue is rated at 20 percent, and he has a compensable rating for frostbite of the hands, ears, face, and feet prior to September 1, 2010. The Veteran does not meet criteria for higher ratings for his other service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing medical records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and alcoholism with cirrhosis, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that the evidence was not in equipoise and did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral leg disability, renal disability, hepatitis C, depression not otherwise specified, and pelvic hematoma as a result of the December 14, 2005 dialysis incident is granted. The Veteran has been awarded compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for PTSD due to this incident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and left knee disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of chronic disability during or immediately following service. The polio claim was also denied due to lack of evidence of a pre-service diagnosis.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an inservice TBI and acquired psychiatric disability, but denied his claim for hepatitis C. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of hepatitis have not resulted in any symptoms that warrant a compensable disability rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and COPD. The claim of service connection for hepatitis C was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, while the claim for COPD remains denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C, with cirrhosis of the liver and pancytopenia, is not attributable to his period of active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's liver disorder, including hepatitis C, finding that it is at least as likely as not due to in-service risk factors such as intravenous drug use and high-risk sexual activity.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide an examination regarding the etiology of his hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's death was caused by cirrhosis, which resulted from his self-treatment of PTSD with alcohol and drugs. The Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. However, since service connection has been granted, the DIC claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is moot and dismissed.

The Board has granted higher initial ratings for hepatitis B and depressive disorder, with a 50 percent rating assigned for depressive disorder effective from November 13, 2012. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated based on their direct impact rather than any presumption or secondary condition.