Hepatitis C decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of various conditions due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The effective date for service connection remains August 12, 2004.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hepatitis C is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for spondylosis, lumbar spine was denied. The claims for hypertension and hepatitis C are remanded.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions as they have become moot due to his death.

The Veteran's applications to reopen claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, hepatitis C, and cervical spine disability have been granted. The application to reopen the claim of service connection for left leg sciatic nerve disability has been denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for muscle weakness, severe stomach and abdominal pains, sun sensitivity, loss of appetite, unusual bruising, eye condition, hepatitis C, migraines, numbness of the left side of the face and body, numbness and tingling in the left foot, numbness and tingling in the right foot, left hand pain/numbness, right hand pain/numbness, brain damage, short term memory loss, dizziness, excess tiredness, acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression), and skin rash have all been dismissed.,The Veteran withdrew his appeals for these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C is granted a 60 percent disability rating, effective from the date of decision. The temporary total rating based on hospitalization related to treatment for service-connected hepatitis C from August 24, 2012, to March 8, 2013, is denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues except those related to his right elbow. As a result, the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and hepatitis C, but granted service connection for major depressive disorder with psychotic and anxiety features. The Veteran's claim for headaches is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a liver disorder (also claimed as hepatitis C). The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's hepatitis C with parenchymal liver disease.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claim for liver condition including hepatitis C is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is rated at a 60 percent rating as of March 4, 2017. The appeal for higher ratings prior to that date and between December 11, 2009 and March 4, 2017 was denied.

The Board has remanded the cases of hepatitis C and hypertension for further development due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has ordered remand to consider whether he should receive a higher rating or separate ratings for his cirrhosis. The TDIU claim is also on hold until the hepatitis issue is resolved.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of hepatitis C and granted it, as new evidence was submitted that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the underlying claim. However, the claim is denied because there is no credible evidence showing a link between the Veteran's in-service tattoo and his current diagnosis of hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for hepatitis C is remanded due to the need for updated VA medical records and an examination to assess current severity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C with chronic fatigue as secondary to his service-connected achalasia, post-operative. The case is remanded for further evaluation of his chronic obstructive lung disease and TDIU.