Hepatitis C decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records and new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for right knee and right hip conditions have been withdrawn. The claim for hepatitis C has been reopened due to new evidence, and service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury, disease or exposure that could have caused the condition. The diagnosis of hepatitis C occurred after service and there is no medical opinion linking it to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and an initial compensable evaluation for a right hand and wrist disability, finding no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, and a thyroid disability were denied. The Board found no direct or presumptive service connection based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during his military service, either due to the onset of the condition in service or as a result of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran to be provided with an appropriate VA examination to determine if his hepatitis C is related to service. The issue will then be readjudicated.

The Veteran's death was caused by liver failure due to hepatitis C, which is service-connected as it originated during his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete medical opinions and unconfirmed addresses. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis C is granted. The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD related to in-service stressors consistent with his Vietnam service, and he has cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis C that may be related to his active military service.

The Veteran seeks compensation for hepatitis C under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, but the claim is remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records from September 1971 to March 2001 and August 2006 to the present.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was determined to be a result of his own willful misconduct, specifically intravenous drug use. His depression is not service connected as it resulted from the denial of reenlistment due to his own willful misconduct.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hepatitis C. The Board finds that further development is needed, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any current or recent hepatitis C.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hepatitis C, which he claims was caused by a blood transfusion during his military service. The Board has determined that additional records are needed to fully evaluate the claim.

The Board previously denied service connection for hepatitis C, but the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) vacated this decision and remanded it back to the Board for further development. The Veteran claims his hepatitis C is related to in-service cold symptoms, sharing of razor blades, and cleaning up blood after a failed suicide attempt by a fellow serviceman in September 1977.

The Board found no evidence of chronic hepatitis C symptoms during service or continuous symptoms since separation, and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, bilateral knee disorder, back disorder, and eye disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining recent medical records.

The Veteran's hepatitis C, post-transfusion, was manifested by right upper quadrant discomfort, no food intolerance, occasional nausea, no vomiting, no significant abdominal pain, no anorexia, no malaise, no weight loss, and normal liver function test findings. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder have been granted increased ratings. The hepatitis C is rated at 40 percent disabling, the psychiatric disorders are rated at 30 percent each.