The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, dysthymia, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and low back pain. The claim for service connection of a back injury was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities remains unresolved.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran's hepatitis C is more likely than not related to her intravenous drug use and needle stick injuries during military service, while her dysthymia, major depressive disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder are secondary to her hepatitis C. The low back pain was also linked to her hepatitis C as a result of her mild back strain sustained in service.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis C, dysthymia, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, low back pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- November 25, 2005
- Citation
- 0531931
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 0531931.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim for major depression to encompass any mental health disability raised by the record and has remanded six issues for additional development.
- Granted
The claim for service connection of a low back disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim is denied as there is no evidence that the current condition is related to service.
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