The veteran's arthritis of the hands was not present in service or within one year thereafter, and there is no evidence linking it to his active duty. The kidney disability claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis. Hepatitis C was diagnosed based on positive blood tests but without a clear link to service. Liver disability is also denied due to lack of current diagnosis.,The veteran's kidney disability has not been shown to be related to service, and the liver disability is not currently present or linked to his hepatitis C.
The deciding factor: Service records do not show any evidence of arthritis, kidney disability, or liver issues. The veteran's current diagnoses are not supported by medical evidence linking them to his active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis, bilateral hands, Hepatitis C, Kidney disability, Liver disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2004
- Citation
- 0401128
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0401128.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's liver cancer and hepatitis C are related to his active service, including exposure to agent orange.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves, with effective dates from March 15, 2013. The Board also granted a TDIU and DEA based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.