The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C has been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he contracted the condition during active duty or due to in-service exposure. The Board found that his current Hepatitis C is more likely related to his use of intravenous drugs after separation from service.,The Veteran's PTSD claim due to personal assault was remanded for further examination and opinion as the VA examiner did not adequately address the in-service markers for a personal assault.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is no evidence linking the Veteran’s current Hepatitis C to his active service, including shared razors or air guns. The Board concluded that the higher probability of exposure was due to intravenous drug use during and after service.,The VA examiner did not adequately address the in-service markers for a personal assault, such as periods of absence without leave and self-reported IV drug abuse.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2020
- Citation
- 20014450
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 20014450.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as a result of military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during service. The Board found the Veteran's testimony and supporting evidence credible, including her VA and private treatment records.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for TDIU is granted with an effective date of August 17, 2022. The decision also denies the Veteran's request for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) due to lack of need for aid and attendance or being housebound.
- Granted
The Board has granted eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the October 2024 rating decision for an increased PTSD rating and denied TDIU.
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