The Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred or aggravated during service and is denied.,Rheumatoid arthritis was not incurred or aggravated during service and is denied.,Type II diabetes mellitus was not diagnosed within the applicable presumptive period and is denied.,Numbness in the hands and feet, presumed secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, is not supported by evidence of a current disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hepatitis C diagnosis post-service does not link back to service due to lack of contemporaneous records indicating its onset during service or within one year thereafter.,Rheumatoid arthritis was not diagnosed during service and the absence of any in-service treatment refutes a nexus claim. The delay between service and current diagnosis is also considered against a finding of service connection.,Type II diabetes mellitus was not diagnosed within the presumptive period for herbicide exposure, and there is no evidence linking it to service.,Numbness in the hands and feet is secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, but as type II diabetes mellitus itself is not supported by service records or a current diagnosis, this secondary claim cannot be established.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis, type II diabetes mellitus, numbness in hands and feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2021
- Citation
- 21004473
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 21004473.
What this means for you
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- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hepatic steatosis have been denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.
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