Hepatitis C decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a liver disorder and hepatitis C, finding that his claims were not well-grounded.

The Board has granted service connection for left femur and left foot disabilities, finding that the veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by active duty.,Service connection was denied for hepatitis C due to its being linked to willful misconduct (intravenous drug use).

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and an increased rating for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 24, 1998 for a 30 percent evaluation for hepatitis C.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for hepatitis C prior to April 20, 1998 and a 100 percent evaluation beginning on that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and need for clarification of the veteran's medical history.

The Board found that the veteran's current liver disease and chronic hepatitis C are not causally related to his episodes of acute viral hepatitis in service or to another service-connected disability, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings of his left arm laceration and bilateral hearing loss disability, as well as his claim for service connection for hepatitis C. The appeal regarding low back strain was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is pending.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied due to his nonservice-connected disabilities not of misconduct etiology, which are not severe enough to prevent him from engaging in substantial gainful employment.

The Board found that the veteran's depression is not related to VA surgical treatment and denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, while finding that he has a well-grounded claim for service connection of hepatitis C.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for left inguinal orchiotomy and tinnitus were denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.,Service connection for hepatitis C was not well grounded as there is no evidence of its occurrence in service.

The Board has determined that the claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis is well-grounded, and thus VA must assist in developing facts pertinent to the claim. The veteran's claims file should be reviewed by a VA specialist in infectious diseases to provide an opinion as to the current nature and etiology of any present hepatitis disorders.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for hepatitis C is not well-grounded and therefore denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C with liver damage and chronic bronchitis are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining statements from VA doctors who have purportedly linked these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for non-service-connected pension benefits was denied multiple times, and the effective date of his award is set at June 11, 1997.

The veteran's claims for chronic hepatitis B or C, major depression, and post-head injury headaches were denied. The veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is well-grounded and the appeal is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's Hepatitis C disability was incurred during his period of active service and granted service connection.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found no evidence linking the veteran's current hepatitis C to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The claim is therefore denied.