The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C service connection is denied as there was no evidence of a blood transfusion at the VA medical center, and his current condition does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.,For the left thumb MCP joint issue, the case is remanded to determine if VA properly obtained informed consent prior to the surgeries and whether any additional disability was caused by carelessness or negligence on VA's part.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not undergo a blood transfusion at the VA medical center. The Board found that his hepatitis C could not be attributed to VA care, as there is no evidence of a transfusion and he denied having received one.,VA must determine if informed consent was properly obtained for the September 2008 left thumb MCP joint surgery and whether any additional disability resulted from VA's failure to exercise proper care.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Left Thumb Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) Joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18144527
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 18144527.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's liver cancer and hepatitis C are related to his active service, including exposure to agent orange.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves, with effective dates from March 15, 2013. The Board also granted a TDIU and DEA based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and hepatitis C as there was no evidence of functional impairment sufficient to warrant a higher rating.
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