Tuberculosis Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by end-stage liver disease due to hepatitis C and alcohol use. Service connection for the cause of death is denied as there is no evidence linking his hepatitis C or other service-connected conditions to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, ear infection, COPD, and tuberculosis due to lack of an adequate opinion.,Secondary service connection is also being considered for these conditions.

The Board has decided the claim for COPD secondary to TB is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tuberculosis claim should be remanded for a VA examination to determine if he currently has latent tuberculosis and whether it is at least as likely as not related to his service.

The Board has denied service connection for a back condition due to lack of evidence showing the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.,PTSD, hypertension (HTN), liver condition, sleep disorder, and TB are all remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for tuberculosis of the testes is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or secondary to his left varicocele.,Service connection is granted for depression, which is found to be secondary to his service-connected left varicocele.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for thyroid condition and tuberculosis have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.,Service connection claims for breast cancer, infertility/miscarriage, hysterectomy, heart condition, hernia, surgical scar associated with a hernia repair, left knee condition, and bilateral hand condition are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for trench foot and tuberculosis have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims.,Service connection has been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, initially claimed as PTSD or specific phobia. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of specific phobia are credible and etiologically related to service.,Service connection has also been granted for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, both diagnosed within ten years after Southwest Asia service and presumed due to exposure to particulate matter during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of tuberculosis has been denied.,Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, with associated peripheral neuropathy affecting the bilateral lower and upper extremities.,Left and right foot disabilities are remanded for further evaluation.,Peripheral neuropathy claims remain pending.,No specific exposure basis was provided in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, hypertension, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, right elbow disability, and right wrist disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tuberculosis is also being remanded due to the need for an examination.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for high cholesterol. Service connection for tuberculosis, PTSD, left ear hearing loss, heart disability, hypertension, and back disability is denied. These issues are remanded.

The Veteran's miliary tuberculosis, including spinal or bone tuberculosis and central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis, was found to have manifested within the three-year presumptive period following service. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from May 18, 2016 is granted. The issue of TDIU prior to May 18, 2016 is remanded for further review by the Director of Compensation and Pension Services.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for pulmonary tuberculosis was denied, and the claim for service connection for sleep apnea was remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic tuberculosis (TB) was denied due to lack of a clinical diagnosis. New and material evidence has not been received since the last final denial.,Service connection for a back disability is reopened based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran, but the Board finds that there is no competent medical evidence linking the current disability to service or any other condition. The claim remains denied.,The effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be earlier than January 14, 2016, as the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability for VA purposes prior to that date.,Further development is needed on the issues of right knee disability, left knee disability, sinus disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any other condition.,The issue of skin cysts remains remanded as there is insufficient information regarding its onset in service.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of inverted papilloma was granted due to service connection based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The claim for renal tuberculosis was denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to his service.

The Veteran's tuberculosis and related restrictive lung disease are being remanded for further development to obtain missing VA treatment records from the period when he initially sought treatment in April or May 2001.

The appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed respiratory disorder, including residuals of tuberculosis, COPD, and asthma, are etiologically related to service. The Veteran's SSA records must also be obtained.

The Board has denied service connection for TB due to lack of current disability evidence. The claims for left knee, lumbar spine, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities are remanded as the VA examiner's opinions were not sufficient.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tuberculosis-related lung disease, broke nose residuals, and bilateral hearing loss. The issues of service connection for sinusitis and/or rhinitis as secondary to his service-connected broken nose and sleep apnea are remanded.