Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis) — all decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of hepatitis C, specifically whether it is related to in-service tattoos and air gun inoculations. The Veteran's service records show a diagnosis of hepatitis B during service, but no direct link to his current condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's NASH is attributable to his service, specifically during his second period of active duty from March 2003 to February 2004. Service connection for NASH is granted.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II, related to herbicide exposure in Thailand, has been reopened and granted. The claim for hepatitis B remains pending as new evidence supports reopening but the service connection is remanded.,The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II was not present during his active duty service or within one year post-service, nor can it be linked to any other condition. However, he has provided credible testimony and supporting documentation indicating exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet decided whether the evidence is sufficient to grant these claims.,Further development is needed to determine if there are any new and material pieces of evidence that could support the reopening of the claims.

Service connection is granted for a right eye disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hepatitis C. The right eye disorder is related to service due to trauma from boxing matches. Bilateral hearing loss is linked to in-service noise exposure. Tinnitus is secondary to the Veteran's hearing loss. Hepatitis C is associated with in-service injections.,Resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, his claims for service connection are all granted.

The Veteran's right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,An effective date of October 12, 2010 for the increased rating of hepatitis C has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The claims to reopen service connection for various conditions have been granted. The specific disabilities are autoimmune disorder, fibromyalgia, IBS, residuals of cysts removal from the left ankle, numbness and neuropathy in the left thigh, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, pre-cancerous polyps, arthritis, NASH, and a heart condition.

The Board has dismissed all the claims of service connection due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's GERD and Hepatitis B are currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to obtain treatment records and request authorization for additional medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, hepatitis C, chronic lumbar spine disorder, and chronic right shoulder disorder have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence or aggravation that would support these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and a bilateral ankle disability due to insufficient communication with the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis C was denied as the evidence did not show symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's death was caused by hepatitis, which is a service-connected condition. Therefore, the Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's death was caused by liver failure due to cirrhosis, which the Board found to be related to his service. The cause of death is therefore granted.

The Veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for his depressive disorder and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA clinical records, as well as an examination to assess the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis B as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and the Veteran's positive hepatitis B antibodies were likely acquired in Korea during service, not due to a disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board has granted dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his liver failure was caused by in-service toxin exposure to herbicide agents. The decision is based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied because his combined rating of 60% does not meet the minimum percentage requirements for an award of a schedular TDIU, and there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine disorder, liver disorder (including hepatitis and cirrhosis), and acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives regarding obtaining service treatment records. The case is returned to the RO for further development.