Hepatitis C Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for Hepatitis C, finding it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's Hepatitis C is attributable to service. The claims of service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD including a mood disorder remain denied.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been rated at 20 percent since October 2, 2002. The rating is granted as the condition meets the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation based on daily fatigue and malaise.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and there is no evidence to support a service connection for PTSD for purposes of accrued benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of newly submitted evidence.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was rated as noncompensably disabling from November 15, 2007 to March 3, 2010 and as 10 percent disabling since March 4, 2010. The Board found that the current rating of 10 percent is appropriate based on intermittent symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, anorexia, and occasional incapacitating episodes.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, low back disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder with depressive features), and glaucoma were not supported by credible evidence of in-service injury or chronic symptoms. The Board denied these service connection claims.

The Veteran's claimed hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board finds that it is less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C is not service-connected because it was caused by his willful misconduct, specifically drug use. The claim for service connection has been denied.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to a relationship between the Veteran's hepatitis C and his period of service, thus granting service connection for hepatitis C on a direct basis.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and a kidney disorder, to include as secondary to hepatitis C. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service risk factors.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatitis C did not have its onset in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to her active military service.

The Board has found that there is no current diagnosis of a skin disorder and the Veteran's lay statements do not support a finding of service connection for a skin disorder. The claim for hepatitis C was remanded but development has not been completed.

The Veteran is granted service connection for hepatitis C, as the evidence is about evenly balanced that he contracted the virus during his active duty in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal cancer and a liver disability, both of which were presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to active duty or presumptively linked to herbicide exposure.

Service connection for hepatitis B and hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or exposure. Service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied due to lack of a showing of continuity of symptoms within one year after separation from service.,Service connection for hepatitis C was granted based on its relationship to the Veteran's service.

The Board found that the Veteran's fatal liver cancer and Hepatitis C did not have their onset during his period of active service, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previously denied claim. The Board also found that there was no direct evidence linking the Veteran's current diagnosis of hepatitis C to his active military service.

The Board found new and material evidence for the claim of service connection for hepatitis C, but denied all other issues due to lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, reopening the previously denied claims for hypertension and skin rash, and granting increased evaluations for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records from VA and SSA. The claims of increased rating for hepatitis C, reopening a claim for heel spurs, and Social Security benefits are pending.