Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) Board decisions

The Board found that none of the veteran's fatal conditions had onset during service or were aggravated by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran seeks service connection for hepatitis C, which he claims resulted from his service in Vietnam. The VA is requesting additional medical opinion to determine the relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C in July 2004, finding that the veteran's post-service activities were more likely than his in-service activities to have caused his condition. The claim was reopened and new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case to consider whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for hepatitis C, hearing loss, liver disease, residuals of a head injury, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding no evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The VA examiner determined that the veteran's hepatitis C is not due to a 2003 VA blood transfusion, and thus does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses from September 26 to 30, 2005 were denied as the services were not authorized by VA and no emergency condition existed that would have required immediate treatment.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's service for his left eye condition.,There is also no medical evidence linking hepatitis C with periportal fibrosis to his military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during his military service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and is unrelated to any service-connected condition. The claim for service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and is more likely due to post-service risk factors, including intravenous drug use.

The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses or etiological links between the veteran's claimed conditions and his active service, leading to a denial of all claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability, hepatitis B, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD. The evidence did not establish a current diagnosis or link to service.

The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected and denied both the claim for service connection for the cause of death and the DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

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

The Board finds that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to service, and his hepatitis C was likely contracted in service. The claim for a low back disability is denied, while the claim for hepatitis C is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including considering in-service hepatitis C risk factors and obtaining a reassessment of the cause of death opinion from Dr. R.T.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Vincent Hospital and the Laurel Medical Center between April 29, 2003, and May 27, 2003 is denied because he was not an active participant in the VA healthcare system during the preceding 24 months.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in the current appeal, including obtaining medical opinions to address the etiology of the veteran's cause of death and whether his service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder, hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes mellitus was dismissed as he did not file a timely substantive appeal.