Hepatitis C decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, including hepatitis C and depression. The decision grants entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hepatitis C was caused by his in-service jet-injector immunization or a post-service blood transfusion, and thus grants service connection for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's hepatitis C disability is being remanded for further evaluation due to a recent increase in severity since his last VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding no current diagnosis of the condition. Service connection was granted for bilateral shoulder disabilities, attributed to in-service lifting duties and related pain.,Service connection for hepatitis C was denied due to lack of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities were found to be related to his service-connected migraines and repetitive microtrauma.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for hepatitis C as it requires additional development and an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection, including seeking to obtain federal records from Moncrief Army Hospital. The peripheral neuropathy issue is inextricably intertwined with the infectious hepatitis issue.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remands and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination by an ENT specialist regarding hearing loss, and scheduling a VA examination by an appropriate medical professional regarding hepatitis C.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was awarded service connection, but the Board found no evidence of symptoms warranting a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of erectile dysfunction and hepatitis C due to additional development being needed, including obtaining outstanding service treatment records and clarifying the etiology of the disabilities.

The Board has decided that more information is needed to determine if the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to service. The case will be sent back for further investigation.

The Veteran's appeals for establishing service connection for PTSD and Hepatitis C have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records from Long Beach, California. The Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection are still under review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C has been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he contracted the condition during active duty or due to in-service exposure. The Board found that his current Hepatitis C is more likely related to his use of intravenous drugs after separation from service.,The Veteran's PTSD claim due to personal assault was remanded for further examination and opinion as the VA examiner did not adequately address the in-service markers for a personal assault.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and liver cancer, finding that additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequacy of the previous opinion and need for a fresh expert medical opinion addressing the Veteran's claim of service connection for Hepatitis C.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it was incurred in service due to various risk factors including intravenous drug use and sexual contact while serving in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded two issues related to service connection for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver associated with hepatitis C. The remand is due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hepatitis C was acquired during service.

The Veteran's hepatitis C claim is remanded for a VA examination. The claims for acid reflux and esophageal varices, as well as the reopening of hypertension claim, are pending due to certification issues.