Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hepatitis C, claimed as due to VA inpatient treatment in 1985 is denied because there is no competent medical evidence showing that the Veteran received a blood transfusion or other blood products during his 1985 VA surgery and thus, the causation of his hepatitis C cannot be attributed to VA care.

The Board found no evidence of hepatitis C or hepatocellular cancer during service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that these conditions were otherwise etiologically related to service. The Veteran's liver was normal five years after discharge from active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right eye disability, hepatitis, left hip disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral leg disability, and right foot and ankle disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for hepatitis C and TDIU, finding that there was no evidence of entitlement prior to May 14, 2004.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his liver disorder with a history of hepatitis C and service connection for a stomach condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's death was not caused or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The cause of death, carcinoma of unknown primary site (poorly differentiated papillary carcinoma), was not related to his military service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his death to his service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected infectious hepatitis caused or contributed to his development of hepatitis C, and thus grants service connection for hepatitis C as secondary to service-connected infectious hepatitis.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that it is as likely as not that the Veteran developed hepatitis C as a result of his active military service, and thus grants service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C and back disorders are not related to his active military service.

The Board found that hepatitis C was not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service, and concluded that the Veteran's current condition is more likely due to post-service heroin use.

The Board has found that the Veteran's PTSD is related to service and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, residuals of acute infectious hepatitis, and PTSD. The denial is based on a lack of current medical evidence demonstrating these conditions.

The VA determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of hepatitis C being related to his military service, and thus denied the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed rhinitis and/or sinusitis, hepatitis C, and missing VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that a new examination is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C, as his previous VA medical examination did not address all relevant factors.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and evidence, including VA treatment records, personnel records, and stressor verifications. A psychiatric examination will be conducted to determine the presence of PTSD and any current acquired psychiatric disorders. An appropriate VA audiological examination will also be scheduled to assess the etiology of his hearing loss. If hepatitis is confirmed, a VA examination will be arranged to evaluate its relationship with service.