Hepatitis C decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C and multiple joint pain due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hepatitis C. The examiner needs to consider the Veteran's statements that he did not share needles during his IV drug use and address whether IV drug use without sharing is a risk factor for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for cold injuries to various parts of his body and hepatitis C have been dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for these issues, but granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver as secondary to hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hepatitis C has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and remanded the issues of service connection for neck condition and left arm condition (secondary to neck condition). The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C should be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's hepatitis C since the effective date of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were related to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for Hepatitis C was remanded due to the Veteran's in-service and post-service drug use associated with his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of hepatitis C due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver prior to February 4, 2010 is denied. The Board found no underlying claim and therefore no effective date earlier than February 4, 2010. For the period before February 6, 2012, the Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, myositis (myopathy), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The Board has expanded the psychiatric claim to include all acquired psychiatric disabilities, and it is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding these claims. Gout, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, bilateral hearing loss, chronic liver disease (including hepatitis C), and back disability are also remanded due to lack of sufficient medical evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current low back, cervical spine, hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), bilateral pes planus, and a cervical spine disorders. The case is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hepatitis C and hypertension secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection for these conditions is being reviewed again.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for chronic liver disease and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Additional development is needed, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of hepatitis C and a VA examination to determine if it was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current Hepatitis C was incurred during his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied service connection for hepatitis C, a liver condition, and a digestive system condition. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, renal failure, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.