Hepatitis C decisions — 2023

The Veteran's hepatitis C was granted a 60% rating from March 26, 2018, to December 14, 2019. A separate 100% rating for hepatocellular carcinoma was granted from December 15, 2019, until February 14, 2021. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and liver cancer, finding that the conditions did not have their onset during or immediately after service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were first noted many years after his separation from active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined, rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment during the rating period from January 20, 2016 through December 6, 2021. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened and is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his active-duty service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, low back disability, neck disability, and gout. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, liver disorder, blood disorder, kidney disorder, and heart disorder due to exposures at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran was not afforded in-person examinations as instructed by prior remand directives.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues related to obstructive sleep apnea, hepatitis C, allergies, perforated ear drum, vision disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical spine, and shoulder disabilities has been withdrawn. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete record and a need for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the claim for hepatitis C due to a lack of an examination, and it is unclear if the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his military duties.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for further examinations. The issues include frostbite of the bilateral feet, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), hypertension, hepatitis C, erectile dysfunction, skin disability, lower back disability, skeletal arthritis, bilateral eye disability, bilateral sinus disability, esophageal disability, and stomach disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and hepatitis C. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, hypotension, dysphagia, muscle weakness, hyperplasia of the prostate, bilateral lower extremity corns and callosities with dermatophytosis, bilateral lower extremity metatarsalgia, Parkinson's disease, anemia, hepatitis C, transient ischemic attack, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, thrombocytopenia with melena, and mixed hyperlipidemia and hyperbilirubinemia due to inadequate medical opinions based on the absence of contemporaneous documentation in service records.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his cirrhosis, hepatitis C, congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease to his military service.

The Veteran seeks an effective date prior to July 9, 2012, for the award of service connection for hepatitis C.,The Veteran also contends that his service-connected hepatitis C warrants a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) claims are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.,The right hand, left hand, left foot, right knee, right hip, and right leg disability claims are denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's diagnosis was not related to his military service and more likely due to IV drug use and a history of sexually transmitted diseases.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral leg condition, right foot condition, hepatitis C, and right knee osteoarthritis were dismissed. The appeal for service connection for lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy and myositis ossificans of the right thigh (right hip/thigh condition) is remanded.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver were granted service connection effective May 1, 2013. The appeal is denied for earlier effective dates.,The Veteran's hepatitis C was rated at 20 percent since May 1, 2013, but a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded both the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hepatitis C and the TDIU claim due to additional development being required.