The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened. The claims for hypertension and COPD have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for lung cancer is denied as the condition did not manifest within one year post-service. Effective dates are granted for major depressive disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hepatitis C claim was reopened with new evidence indicating possible service exposure. Claims for hypertension and COPD were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for lung cancer was denied as the condition did not manifest within one year post-service. Effective dates were granted based on when claims were filed or entitlement arose.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, High Blood Pressure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Lung Cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- August 2, 2018
- Citation
- 18123651
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 18123651.
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 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 decided to remand the claim of service connection for COPD due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a supplemental medical opinion.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death, lung cancer, was not related to his active duty service and therefore service connection for the cause of death is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal to reduce the ratings for OSA and COPD with asthma and granuloma of the lung was denied, as well as his attempt to add a claim for service connection for aphasia secondary to TBI. The appeals were dismissed due to untimeliness.
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