Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death is not related to his military service, including as due to PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death must be denied.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for cause of death due to Hepatitis C and Major Depression, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claim.

The Veteran's liver disorder, neck pain, and schizophrenia were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board denied the claims for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board is remanding the case to allow the Veteran to submit new and material evidence for his claims of service connection for hepatitis C, PTSD, and a blood disease. The RO/AMC will also provide the Veteran with VCAA notice as required by Kent v. Nicholson.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of hepatitis B have been rated at 100 percent since April 8, 2005.

The Veteran's biliary cirrhosis was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, is not presumed to have had its onset during service, and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. The Board finds that the evidence does not support the conclusion that the Veteran's biliary cirrhosis had its onset in service, within one year of service, or was secondary to her service-connected bipolar disorder.

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

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hepatitis C, which he attributes to his inservice exposure to blood. The case has been remanded due to the need for a new medical examination considering the Veteran's reported history of inservice exposure.

The Board found no evidence of right brachial plexopathy or right carpal tunnel syndrome during service and denied the claims for these conditions.,For hepatitis C, the Board noted that it was first diagnosed in 2004, 33 years after service. The Veteran claimed exposure to shots by airgun during basic training as a cause of his condition. However, the VA examiner could not pinpoint when the Veteran contracted hepatitis C and denied the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected infectious hepatitis is currently rated as 10% disabling, effective from the date of the examination report (February 2007).

The Veteran's claim for disability compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to a liver biopsy performed in July 2003 was denied as there is no additional disability resulting from the procedure.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied both the claim for cause of death and DIC benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no competent evidence linking his current diagnosis to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from keeping himself clean and avoiding daily hazards, meeting the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to hepatoma due to, or as a consequence of, cirrhosis due to, or as a consequence of, esophageal varicies. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hepatitis C and subsequent liver disease were not attributable to his military service.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted since the December 2002 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, and thus the claim is denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's hepatitis C does not warrant a higher evaluation, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for an increased rating under Diagnostic Code 7354.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hepatitis C and PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.