Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records from Dr. R. Di'L, who treated the Veteran prior to 1989 and diagnosed hepatitis C in 1989.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C as there is no medical evidence or opinion suggesting a link between his current condition and military service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not diagnosed until many years after service, and there is no medical evidence linking the condition to his military service. The Board therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities related to hepatitis C, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current hepatitis C to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional clarification regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for Hepatitis C, including consideration of in-service risk factors such as IV drug use and a pneumatic vaccination.

The Veteran's claims for a headache disorder, recurrent herpetic genitalia infections, and hepatitis C were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for a headache disorder. For recurrent herpetic genitalia infections, the medical evidence showed no objective manifestations despite subjective symptoms. For hepatitis C, there was no evidence showing treatment with systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.

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

The Board finds that it is as likely as not that the Veteran's abuse of alcohol was secondary to, or a symptom of, his service-connected PTSD. The evidence supports the view that the Veteran developed cirrhosis and hepatitis as a result of alcohol abuse, which ultimately led to his death.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was granted a 40 percent evaluation effective July 2, 2001. The dental condition claim is not supported by any competent evidence of record.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was increased to a 60 percent rating effective May 16, 2008. His gastritis and appendectomy scar were not granted an increase in ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and hypertension, as well as his claim for a compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle condition and left ankle condition were denied. The Veteran was granted an initial 20 percent disability rating for lumbar strain myositis but not higher. His claim for an increased rating for his right knee status post meniscal repair and anterior cruciate ligament rupture, with residual pain was denied. Service connection for hepatitis C was also denied. He was denied a compensable rating for bilateral tinnitus and for bilateral, moderate, sensorineural hearing loss.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle condition and right shoulder disability were denied. The Veteran was granted an initial 10 percent disability rating for status post repair of rotator cuff and labral tear and impingement syndrome of the right shoulder but not higher. His claim for hepatitis C was also denied. He was denied a compensable rating for bilateral tinnitus and for bilateral, moderate, sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, finding that there was no evidence linking it to his service, diabetes mellitus, or herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active military service and have denied all of his claims.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's liver disorder claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current liver disorder, and the Board finds that any such disorder is not related to service or service-connected conditions.,There is no separate chronic left leg disability. The Veteran's low back disorder radiates into the left leg but does not constitute a separate condition.

The Veteran's HIV-related illnesses, chronic hepatitis C, and cirrhosis of the liver have been granted increased ratings effective October 24, 2008. The Veteran is now receiving full benefits for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The Board found no current disabilities for the claimed conditions and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between any of these conditions and active service.