Hepatitis C decisions — 2024

The Veteran's hepatitis C was caused by his intravenous drug use related to his service-connected PTSD, and the Board granted service connection for hepatitis C as secondary to service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and requests additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for Hepatitis C, liver cancer and residuals of liver cancer, and colon disease are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Veteran contends that his current conditions are related to hepatitis infections during military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, left ankle condition, right ankle condition (claimed as residuals of right ankle sprain), and vision condition. Service connection was remanded for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension were also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a liver condition, including fatty liver and hepatitis C, due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune. The VA medical opinion found that the Veteran's current liver conditions are less likely related to his in-service exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal that his October 25, 2019 notice of disagreement was timely filed. The claims for service connection are being remanded to allow the RO to address each issue.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied a compensable rating. Service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, pelvis cancer, spinal cancer, prostate cancer, hepatitis C, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, ED, and liver condition are all denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his in-service risk factors. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. §1151 for hepatitis C is denied because there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, hypertension, lower back disability, skeletal arthritis, skin disability, bilateral eye disability, and bilateral sinus disability have all been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the claims for hepatitis C, fatigue symptoms including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and an acquired psychiatric disability due to inadequate reasoning and lack of clarity in the medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 15, 2022 for service connection of hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence that he filed any other formal or informal claims for this condition before the effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development, particularly regarding a possible diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (CAD) from an August 2002 SSA record. The VA examiner's opinions need to be revised to consider this new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his hepatitis C, finding that he does not have current signs or symptoms attributable to hepatitis C and no incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is rated at 20 percent, and his skin disorder is assigned a noncompensable rating prior to February 20, 2019. The Board denied increased ratings for both conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver, steatosis/fatty liver and status post cholecystectomy was granted with a 10% rating effective May 21, 2008. The appeal sought higher ratings for this condition prior to October 1, 2011, from October 1, 2011 to March 31, 2011, and since March 31, 2011. The Board denied these claims as the criteria for a higher rating were not met.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cirrhosis of the liver as secondary to hepatitis C, finding that there is no current diagnosis of cirrhosis and no evidence supporting its existence during the pendency of the claim.

The VA reduced the Veteran's rating for hepatitis C from 60% to 40%, but this decision was improper. The Board has reinstated the 60% rating effective December 1, 2020.

The appeal for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for post-operative residuals following a liver disease/transplant and aggravation of pre-existing hepatitis C is remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is related to his in-service hazardous noise exposure. The other conditions were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.