Hepatitis C decisions — 2004

The veteran's claims on reopening a claim of service connection for hepatitis A or B and entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA medical examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, finding no evidence of a chronic disorder and noting that there was no indication of Hepatitis C during or after service. The examiner opined that the most likely factor for Hepatitis C in this case would be speculative.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that her hepatitis C is related to her military service, and thus denied service connection.

The Board found that the veteran does not have hepatitis C related to his active service, including any exposure to Agent Orange or sexual activity while in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver was incurred in service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis and a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting further examinations.

The veteran's claims for service connection for decreased vision in the left eye and initial evaluations for hepatitis-C have been denied. The effective date for a grant of service connection for hepatitis-C remains March 6, 2001.

The Board found that hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and that chronic liver disease such as cirrhosis could not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and unclear opinions.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C with secondary nephropathy, attributing it to exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found no evidence of in-service disease or injury related to Hepatitis C and concluded that there was no presumption of exposure due to herbicide use.

The veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hepatitis C, which he claims resulted from a blood transfusion during VA surgery in June 1992. The case has been remanded to determine if the veteran's current condition is due to carelessness, negligence, or fault on the part of VA.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's exposure to hepatitis C during his military service is directly related to his current condition, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and cancer of the liver, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service or exposure to herbicides. The Board concluded that the appellant must present medical evidence establishing a nexus between the veteran's hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, and/or liver cancer and his exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C infection, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the veteran contracted the condition during his military service. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the veteran for VA examinations to determine his hepatitis C condition and whether he can work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, chronic fatigue, and pilonidal cysts. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military duty.

The veteran's hepatitis C, liver damage, and skin disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a neurological disorder during service and the veteran does not have one now. Depression was also not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during active service, and his posttraumatic stress disorder is currently rated as it should be. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and Raynaud's disease, finding no evidence of in-service occurrence or nexus to military service. The claim for PTSD was remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims, including verifying stressor events for PTSD and obtaining medical records related to his hypertension.