Hepatitis C decisions — 2005

The Board denied the claims for service connection for tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and back disorder. The claim of service connection for hepatitis C is pending and will be remanded.

The veteran's appeal for service connection of Hepatitis C is remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining a rationale from Dr. Salko and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C with diarrhea and chronic fatigue, finding that the veteran's current condition was not caused by any incident of service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety, was also denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's leukemia is service-connected due to exposure in-service, and hepatitis C was not connected with service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a liver disability (Hepatitis C) and anemia, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected duodenal ulcers. The Board found that there was no evidence of current or chronic disabilities and that any potential relationship between these conditions and service or service-connected conditions could not be established.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the evidence raises a reasonable doubt in favor of its onset during service.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C, was not related to his period of active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for cholecystectomy, Hepatitis C, and essential hypertension. The initial evaluations were found to be inadequate.

The Board found no competent medical evidence demonstrating that the veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of his death. Therefore, eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefits under Chapter 35 is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected hepatitis C is manifested by more than moderate liver damage, with recurrent episodes of gastrointestinal disturbance and mental depression. The Board granted an initial rating of 60 percent for hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C infection warrants an initial rating of 30 percent, but no more, as of July 2001. The old rating criteria are more favorable to the appellant throughout the rating period.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding service records and a need for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service.

The veteran's non-service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for VA pension purposes.

The veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his hepatitis C is rated at 10 percent. The issue of a separate evaluation for headaches remains unresolved.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no causal link between his current diagnosis and any incident of active service.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated in service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any Hepatitis, including Hepatitis C. If the examination confirms a connection between service and these conditions, it will be granted.