Hepatitis C Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred in service and denied both his claim for service connection and his TDIU claim due to anxiety disorder.

The Board has ordered remand to obtain additional medical opinions and compliance with prior remand instructions. The appeal will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims by the Veteran.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but the claim remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his service-connected throat cyst removal surgery and hepatitis C has been denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he has service connection for polysubstance abuse secondary to his PTSD. His hepatitis-C and cirrhosis of the liver are also found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected polysubstance abuse disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, reopening the claim and finding that it was incurred in service. The other claims remain pending as additional development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as there is no credible evidence of Agent Orange exposure, and the conditions claimed are not shown to be related to his active military service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from January 15 to January 19, 2010 at Glen Falls Hospital were reimbursed due to the nature of his symptoms and the unavailability of VA facilities.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and peripheral neuropathy are found to be related to service, with the most likely source being drug use in the early 1970s. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the submitted evidence since the July 2009 final denial is essentially cumulative of the evidence previously of record with regard to the basis for the prior denial, and thus did not meet the criteria for reopening any of the Veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not service-connected, as it was more likely caused by post-service activities such as intravenous drug use and a blood transfusion after a burn incident. The issues of back condition and acquired psychiatric disorder are dismissed due to withdrawal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's death is related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange and any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current hepatitis C disability is related to his active service. The case is therefore being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not manifested in service and did not find a causal relationship between her current condition and her military service. The preponderance of evidence is against her claim.

The Veteran's current hepatitis C disability is related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was initially rated at 10 percent from March 27, 2012 to August 13, 2012 and increased to 40 percent thereafter. The decision also noted the presence of cirrhosis as a sequela.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the cause of death, specifically hepatitis B and C. The VA is requested to obtain a new VA medical opinion addressing the Appellant's lay contentions about his service exposure.

The Veteran's widow is appealing for service connection for the cause of his death, which was attributed to liver failure. The appeal is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's PTSD and alcohol/drug use.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from end stage liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatitis C. As a result, the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.