Hepatitis C decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for hepatitis C and a cervical spine disorder. The case is now remanded for further evidentiary development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in or the result of active duty military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for PTSD and hepatitis C due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors and lack of a medical opinion linking the conditions to service. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence of hepatitis C in service or for years thereafter and concluding that it was unlikely caused by her military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver warrants a 40 percent evaluation, effective from December 8, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hepatitis C is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, headaches, tinnitus, a skin rash (presumably due to herbicide exposure), and a psychiatric disorder (presumably PTSD). The claim for residuals of a right ankle injury was also denied as new and material evidence had not been received since the previous denial.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for PTSD, increased the rating for left toe disability to 10%, and denied service connection for hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that Hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Hepatitis C is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bladder cancer and cluster headaches, are being remanded due to the failure of the veteran to appear at a scheduled hearing.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further action due to inadequate medical opinions and a need to address the credibility of the veteran's lay statements regarding his exposure to hepatitis C during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and his request for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found that the veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal regarding the January 2004 rating decision denying service connection for hepatitis C, and thus the claim is denied. The Board also determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for service connection for hepatitis C.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and due process considerations.

The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C has been manifested by weakness, malaise, and an increase in liver enzymes; daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with substantial weight loss (or other indication of malnutrition), and hepatomegaly. The next higher rating requires an additional factor of anorexia with substantial weight loss or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12-month period, which is not shown in this case.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, residuals of removal of shrapnel from the left foot and forehead, and a left index finger disorder. The claims were previously denied in November 2000 due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.