Hepatitis C decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of clarity in medical opinions regarding the severity and functional impairment of hepatitis C, as well as whether medication was required for control of the condition.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim of service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it is related to the Veteran's in-service blood transfusion and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.

The Veteran's hepatitis C condition is currently rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The Board has found that the symptoms have been daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia with incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least two weeks but less than four weeks during the past 12-month period. The Veteran's hepatitis C condition is not rated higher due to lack of hepatomegaly or more extensive incapacitating episodes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, anxiety disorder, hypertension, skin disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the current nature of these conditions and their likely etiology.

The Board has found that the VA did not comply with its prior directive to obtain post-service treatment records, including those related to blood donation in 1981 due to hepatitis C. The Board also notes that there are outstanding medical records from Georgia Department of Corrections and SSA which need to be obtained.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and inaccuracies in the date of diagnosis. The Veteran's hepatitis C is being reviewed again with a focus on obtaining all available VA medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C contributed substantially to his cause of death, small cell lung cancer. The decision grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected condition, and therefore he is not eligible for burial benefits.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is being remanded for further evaluation due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and liver cancer as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C. The decision also grants service connection for tinnitus, finding that it began during active-duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C and residuals are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,New evidence has been received, but it does not change the current disposition of these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C, left foot bone spurs, and right foot bone spurs due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of evidence showing a link between these conditions and military service. The appeal is not ready for appellate review without obtaining missing medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the onset and relation of the Veteran's conditions to her service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete development and failure to address certain theories of entitlement. The AOJ is required to obtain relevant hospitalization records from 1985 and assess the Veteran's exposure to asbestos during his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for Hodgkin's disease and Hepatitis C, including as secondary to Hodgkin's disease. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Korea, and there is no evidence of a direct link between the conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

The Board found the Appellant's discharge from service was due to willful and persistent misconduct, which bars him from receiving VA benefits. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and lymphedema caused by cellulitis, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment as of March 9, 2021.