Hepatitis C decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not manifested in service and did not find a causal relationship between her current condition and her military service. The preponderance of evidence is against her claim.

The Veteran's current hepatitis C disability is related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was initially rated at 10 percent from March 27, 2012 to August 13, 2012 and increased to 40 percent thereafter. The decision also noted the presence of cirrhosis as a sequela.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the cause of death, specifically hepatitis B and C. The VA is requested to obtain a new VA medical opinion addressing the Appellant's lay contentions about his service exposure.

The Veteran's widow is appealing for service connection for the cause of his death, which was attributed to liver failure. The appeal is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's PTSD and alcohol/drug use.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from end stage liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatitis C. As a result, the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The Board finds that the current symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between his active duty service and any current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service diagnosis of HAA-positive hepatitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fibromyalgia originated during her active service and is granted service connection for this condition. The claim for hepatitis C remains pending as additional development is required.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis B and hepatitis C due to a need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an examination by a VA examiner.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, pneumonia, and dysentery were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a diagnosed disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMR) that vacated the Board's decision as to the issue of entitlement service connection for a liver disorder, to include hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hepatitis C was denied as the current disability picture does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection are being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to schedule a new VA examination.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of his current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sarcoidosis is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his diagnosed condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection. For the fracture of the right metatarsal with degenerative changes, a 10 percent evaluation was granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hepatitis C. The Veteran's current myositis and hepatitis C may be associated with his Vietnam service, triggering VA's duty to provide an examination as to their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling folder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hepatitis B is being remanded due to the inadequacies of a previous VA examination. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and assigned a disability rating of 20 percent. The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, with separate ratings for lateral instability.