Hepatitis C decisions — 2007

The veteran's hepatitis C is likely attributable to his active military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The VA denied an increased rating for hepatitis C, currently rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding no evidence of in-service disease or injury leading to current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's hepatitis C and its relation to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not develop hepatitis C as a result of an in-service injury or experience, and there is no credible evidence to support his claim that he was exposed to the virus during service. As such, the claim for service connection for hepatitis C is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his in-service surgery and the development of the disease.

The Board granted service connection for chronic multiple joint disorder (undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy) and denied service connection for chronic hepatitis C. The veteran's PTSD with depression was assigned an initial evaluation of 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records to determine if the veteran's hepatitis C is related to service.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 27, 1999, for a grant of service connection for hepatitis C is denied as his original claim was received on August 27, 1999.

The veteran's hepatitis C with cirrhosis is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on his symptoms.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his period of service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran did not have any known risk factors for hepatitis C during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, hernia, and hepatitis C were denied. The rating for hepatitis C was granted at 10 percent prior to September 2, 2004, but not higher.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hepatitis C due to incomplete information on his service stressors. The AOJ is instructed to attempt verification of these stressors, schedule appropriate examinations, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for hepatitis C, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the condition to his military service. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's chronic hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver to his service, including any alleged exposure to air gun injectors. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, as there was no evidence of hepatitis C being incurred during his military service.