The Veteran's hepatitis is granted service connection. The left knee instability rating is restored to 20 percent, and the limitation of flexion remains at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided an opinion that the Veteran’s hepatitis was incurred during ACDUTRA, leading to service connection. The reduction in the left knee instability rating from 20% to noncompensable effective July 1, 2015, is upheld as there was actual improvement.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis, left knee injury (patellofemoral syndrome; status post arthroscopy)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18136757
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 18136757.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and secondary service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, both determined to be related to in-service hepatitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the failure to schedule VA examinations related to his claimed disabilities. The Board finds that there was a pre-decisional error in not ensuring proper communication with the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his hepatitis, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7354.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's liver disease, including hepatitis B and/or C.
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