The Veteran's application to reopen a claim of service connection for hepatitis is granted. The initial 100 percent rating for schizoaffective disorder, effective from September 9, 2009, is granted. Higher initial ratings for lumbar strain and lower extremity radiculopathy are denied. A TDIU prior to September 29, 2009, is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hepatitis was reopened due to new evidence indicating a possible service connection. The schizoaffective disorder receives the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent since September 9, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis (characterized as hepatitis B and hepatitis C), Schizoaffective disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19117429
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19117429.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizoaffective disorder, due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case will be readjudicated with a focus on obtaining treatment records from UT Health San Antonio Transitional Care Clinic and obtaining a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that new evidence supports the readjudication of the claim for service connection for a mental disorder, but dismissed appeals seeking compensable ratings for residuals of right hand 5th metacarpal fracture and left ear hearing loss. The case is remanded to determine if an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and alcohol use disorder, finding that the Veteran's in-service experiences qualify as a stressor event related to his mental health conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability alone has rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment, and he is granted a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) based on this condition. Additionally, the Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) due to his housebound status.
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