The Board has determined that additional development of the record, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination for hepatitis C etiology, and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the service-connected low back disability is necessary before deciding these issues.
The deciding factor: The current evidence does not sufficiently address whether the Veteran's Hepatitis C is related to service or if his intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis and osteoarthritis with discogenic changes at L5-S1 and L1-L2 is due to a service-connected condition. Additionally, VA outpatient records for low back disability are outdated.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis with discogenic changes at L5-S1 and L1-L2
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2011
- Citation
- 1118450
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 1118450.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable initial rating for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's condition was asymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C with cirrhosis is related to service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as service-connected, with the Board finding it related to his active duty service and aggravated by his service-connected tibia fractures. The claim for hepatitis C is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding its etiology.,Service connection for depressive disorder is established based on direct evidence of a current disability (depressive disorder) that was incurred during active duty service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected Hepatitis C, lumbar DDD with strain, osteomyelitis, and loss of use of right foot disability rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance. Effective October 28, 2008, the Veteran meets the criteria for SMC under various provisions.
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