Hepatitis C decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C. However, the claim is denied as the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is not related to his military service due to his willful misconduct in using IV drugs.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C service connection is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or after service. The claims for increased ratings for left carpal tunnel syndrome and calcium chip-like deposits in the elbows are also denied, with the latter being rated at 10% due to current symptoms not meeting criteria for higher ratings. The claim for compensable rating for scar of the left cheek is pending.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hepatitis C prior to August 27, 2009, and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C and associated liver damage are not related to his service, including his in-service treatment for infectious hepatitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, erectile dysfunction (secondary to diabetes mellitus), and an increased rating for diabetes mellitus were denied. The claim of new and material evidence for hepatitis C was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated as 10 percent disabling, and the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for hepatitis C and migraine headaches have been denied.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be due to cirrhosis, which was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and substance abuse.,Service connection for hepatitis C is granted as it was proximately caused by the Veteran's service-connected substance abuse.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and consideration of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his hepatitis C condition.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, as it has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty, thus denying his claim of service connection.

The Veteran's claims of a waiver of overpayment and service connection for hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and an opinion on the etiology of his hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a disability for which service connection should have been established, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was not manifested by fatigue, malaise, and anorexia prior to May 25, 2012, which is required for a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it was due to his own willful misconduct and not incurred in line of duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that cirrhosis did not have a nexus to his military service and hepatitis C was not acquired during service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for Hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from Scott and White, Dr. Nader, and Dr. Lee.

The Veteran died from cardiopulmonary arrest with underlying causes of metastatic carcinoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. There is no direct evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disability.