Hepatitis C decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for scleroderma, including as secondary to hepatitis C, was granted. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to a higher disability evaluation for his psychiatric condition and enucleation of the left eye with diabetic retinopathy of the right eye.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and psoriasis, finding no current disability related to the conditions. The Veteran's claims were based on his belief that he had these conditions during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C is not causally or etiologically related to service and therefore, denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected VA pension benefits is denied as he did not serve during a period of war and thus does not meet the basic eligibility requirements.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors and obtain medical opinions regarding his psychiatric, skin, and hepatitis C conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 70%, which does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for service-connected infectious hepatitis and did not address his claim to reopen his lumbar lordosis claim due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and denied his claim, concluding it was due to voluntary drug use during service.

The Veteran does not have hepatitis C that is related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition and denied both the cause of death claim and the DIC claim.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for residuals of hepatitis C was denied as there is no reliable evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The Veteran is seeking a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes. The Board finds there are insufficient records to determine the current severity of his disabilities, including depression, hepatitis C, residuals of frost bite to the feet, and left shoulder disorder, which may impact his employability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine if they preclude him from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C. The issues of back and left hip disabilities, as well as TDIU, are pending.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any hepatitis C present. The case will be returned to the RO for further review.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's service connection claims for hepatitis C and a low back disability. Specifically, the Veteran needs to be provided with an examination to assess his hepatitis C claim and ascertain whether he had a tattoo during service which may have contributed to his current condition. The VA also needs to request any SSA medical records related to the Veteran.

The Veteran's alcohol abuse is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and he has been granted secondary service connection for this condition. His hepatitis C is not found to be related to his service or service-connected conditions. The need for a liver transplant due to alcoholic cirrhosis resulting from his service-connected PTSD is also granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C with associated liver cirrhosis, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure. The decision was based on direct evidence of a link between the condition and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened, but the claim remains denied. The Veteran's lung disease is not considered to be caused by VA medical treatment status post liver transplant.