The Veteran's hepatitis C was not service-connected as it is believed to be due to his own drug abuse after service.,Diabetic retinopathy and diabetes mellitus were not diagnosed during the time of the Veteran's death, and thus cannot be service-connected.,Chloracne was found to have been incurred in service based on its recurrence post-service.,Peripheral neuropathy was not service-connected as it is believed to be due to Agent Orange exposure, but there is no evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's need for aid and attendance from another person could not be established.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence connecting the Veteran’s hepatitis C to his military service. The diagnosis was made after he left active duty.,Diabetic retinopathy and diabetes mellitus were not diagnosed during the time of the Veteran's death, so they cannot be considered service-connected.,Chloracne was found in service records and continued post-service, meeting the current disability element for service connection.,There is no evidence linking peripheral neuropathy to Agent Orange exposure or service. The diagnosis occurred after service.,The Veteran did not require regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Diabetic Retinopathy, Chloracne, Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18119750
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 18119750.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's appeal was granted for various disabilities, including service connection for depressive disorder and increased evaluations for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting multiple nerve groups. A SMC based on need for aid and attendance was also awarded.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 12, 2017 for the award of service connection for dry eye syndrome. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for dry eye syndrome is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.
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