Hepatitis C decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for hepatitis C due to a need for an additional addendum opinion from a hepatologist.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's claim was not supported by evidence showing a causal relationship between his in-service injury and/or onset of hepatitis C.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for hepatitis C and hepatic stenosis, specifically whether his drug use was secondary to or caused by his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and retrieval of his military hospital records from Fort Sam Houston.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis C, follicular lymphoma, and cirrhosis as they were not caused by the Veteran's in-service jet air-gun inoculations or his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for hepatic encephalopathy, hepatitis C, anemia (related to hepatitis C), and cirrhosis of the liver due to missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's death in May 2019 may have contributed to these records being unavailable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that there was no causal relationship between his current diagnosis and his in-service exposure to an unsterilized air gun injection. The preponderance of evidence did not support the Veteran's claim.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is consistent with known risk factors from his military service. Service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination of whether the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, as he does not meet the schedular threshold for TDIU but may be eligible under an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and remanded the TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for Hepatitis C and individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient development of evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for initial increased ratings for hepatitis C was dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by his attorney.,A 70 percent rating for PTSD is granted, subject to rules and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for hepatitis C and a right side breast condition (claimed as breast cancer) due to exposure at Camp Lejeune have been dismissed because the Veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Board has denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's diagnosis occurred after service and was not causally related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for hepatitis C and has determined that he is entitled to this benefit based on direct evidence linking it to service, specifically air gun vaccinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability secondary to the Veteran's left femur disability and hepatitis C. The Veteran is also granted entitlement to a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues of service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding service connection for a hip injury, liver condition (claimed as hepatitis C due to CLCW), and diabetes mellitus, Type II. The claims are currently pending.

The appeal for the hepatitis C claim is dismissed as the Veteran's representative withdrew his appeal.,The vision loss and depression claims are remanded for further development.