The Board has denied service connection for hepatitis C and lichen planus, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service. Service connection for GERD is remanded due to reasonable doubt raised by the Veteran's contention of secondary service connection.,Service connection for hepatitis C was denied because there was no credible evidence linking it to service or any incident therein. The Board also found lichen planus was not linked to service, with the exception that its onset may be related to treatment for hepatitis C.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current GERD is not directly connected to her military service and there is no evidence of a link between her hypertension and GERD. The Board found reasonable doubt regarding whether GERD was secondary to her service-connected hypertension, necessitating further examination and opinion.,Service connection for hepatitis C was denied because the medical evidence did not support a link to service or any incident therein. Lichen planus was also denied as there is no credible evidence linking it to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2021
- Citation
- 21008193
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 21008193.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to July 29, 2024. The GERD rating remains at 30 percent disabled but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable initial rating for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's condition was asymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.
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