The Veteran's HCV was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The Board found that the most likely cause of his HCV is intravenous drug use, which occurred after he left active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's history of intravenous drug abuse is more likely than not the cause of his HCV infection, rather than any potential risk factors related to service such as a blood transfusion during surgery for a gunshot wound in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0942536
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 0942536.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C virus (HCV) as there is no evidence that the condition began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, disease, or event.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to new and material evidence being received with respect to his hearing loss and/or ear disability, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD), and recurrent chronic otitis media. The other issues remain unresolved.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted service connection for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the claim for service connection for Meniere's syndrome is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran may have had hepatitis C at any time during the claim or approximate thereto, and it is related to service. However, due to a lack of medical evidence on this issue, the case must be remanded for further examination.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.