Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) — all decisions

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and asbestosis have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for major depressive disorder secondary to service-connected acne vulgaris.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's condition did not manifest during or within one year of separation from active duty and was unrelated to service. The claim for hepatitis C compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was also denied as there is no evidence showing a blood transfusion caused by VA.,The medical records do not support the Veteran's claims, with hypertension being diagnosed years after separation from active duty and hepatitis C found in January 2002 following a blood transfusion that occurred in October 2001.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing and nature of his exposure to herbicides, as well as incomplete treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to verify proximity to Vietnam and obtain pertinent VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise and resolved all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding a current diagnosis related to an in-service stressor. Other service connection claims are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The claims for Meniere’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease/Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include generalized anxiety disorder), cirrhosis of the liver, a left shoulder disability, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity are all remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has been reopened and granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether hepatitis B, noted as significant in the death certificate, is related to viral hepatitis found in service. The Veteran's cause of death must be evaluated for potential service connection.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for chronic headaches and arthritis, bilateral hands was denied as the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.,The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for hepatitis C, bilateral vision issues, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer were also denied due to lack of material evidence addressing the service connection elements of in-service incurrence or nexus.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating issues were dismissed as the substantive appeals were not filed, except for a new and material evidence claim which was granted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's lower back disability, right hip disability, and hepatitis C were not shown in service or related to an in-service injury or disease. The claims for these conditions are denied. The claim for a TDIU is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of pseudofolliculitis barbae has been granted.,Claims for service connection for spondylosis of the lumbar spine and hepatitis C are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis, including complications of the liver, due to Camp Lejeune contaminated water was denied as there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

Service connection for the Veteran's death due to hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis A, B, and C, and liver cirrhosis is remanded. The case requires further development regarding the USS Springfield's movements during the Veteran's service period and whether the vessel operated within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam's shores to establish presumptive herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of both lower extremities, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU effective December 2, 2011.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death is not directly related to his active service, including the January 1970 diagnosis of infectious hepatitis. The VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate and needs to be revised.

The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver and chronic pancreatitis are found to be related to his exposure to Chlordane during military service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence showing a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C service connection claim is remanded for a VA hepatologist review to determine the severity of symptoms and whether they are related to his hepatitis C. The Veteran's cirrhosis, steatosis/fatty liver, and gallbladder removal claims are also remanded for a VA hepatologist review to determine if these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatocellular carcinoma and PTSD due to potential service connection, but requires additional medical opinions regarding causation.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as COPD, CHF, and cirrhosis. The VA denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his service or any presumptive exposure.