Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for hepatitis C, status-post hepatitis A infection from September 18, 1977 to August 15, 2000 is being remanded due to the need for a retrospective VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of hepatitis was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision. The Board granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran has PTSD as a result of verified in-service stressors.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA examination results for PTSD and additional SSA records. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's liver cancer and fatal underlying causes (HCV) were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they presumed to have been so incurred due to Agent Orange exposure. The hip fracture is not related to a service-connected disability.,The cause of the Veteran's death was metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, which is not service connected and not presumed to be due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and providing an addendum to a previous VA examiner's opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection in any of the four issues on appeal. The cervical spine disorder, asthma, skin disorder, and hepatitis are all denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeal for an increased rating for hemorrhoids. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a service connection claim for hepatitis C, claimed as secondary to service-connected hemorrhoids, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining whether the appellant's neck disorder, low back disorder, headaches, and nerve disorder of his upper extremities are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a chronic liver disability, including cirrhosis or fatty liver, was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of such condition.

The Veteran's liver disorder, diagnosed as nonalcoholic fatty liver with steatohepatitis, is the result of or proximately due to his service-connected hypertension. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability has been rated at 60 percent since July 2, 2001. The symptoms have included daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia with substantial weight loss and hepatomegaly, warranting a 60 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and a liver disability, including as due to herbicide exposure, were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hepatitis C and has granted service connection based on evidence showing it is as likely as not related to in-service vaccinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain his SSA records, schedule him for a VA psychiatric examination, and readjudicate the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability, for which he has been service-connected since May 1996, has been productive of cirrhosis since September 2001. The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 25, 2001, for the grant of service connection for cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeal is being returned to the RO for further consideration due to issues with the medical opinions provided and incomplete private treatment records.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was caused by intravenous drug use, which is not service-connected. The cause of death (cirrhosis) was found to be related to the hepatitis C, but this does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be alcohol dependence, which resulted from his service-connected PTSD. This conclusion is based on the autopsy report and clinical records indicating that alcohol abuse contributed substantially to liver failure.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a disease or injury incurred in service, and concluded that his service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially to his death.