The Board has remanded the case to obtain a medical opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's liver disability, including hepatitis B, C, and chronic liver damage. The examiner must consider the transmissibility and symptomatology of both hepatitis B and hepatitis C, as well as the Veteran's pre-service risk factors (tattoos and unsafe sexual activity) and post-service risk factors (intranasal and intravenous drug use).
The deciding factor: The Board found that remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion addressing the etiology of the liver disability due to incomplete consideration of the evidence, particularly regarding the Veteran's in-service air gun inoculation and pre- and post-service risk factors.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis B, hepatitis C, chronic liver damage
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22055881
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 22055881.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 expanded the scope of the claim for major depression to encompass any mental health disability raised by the record and has remanded six issues for additional development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for COPD, PTSD, hepatitis C, TDIU, and temporary total disability evaluation due to a failure to address his timely request for higher-level review of the July 2018 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, gum disease, hypertension, orthopedic foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hepatitis C, skin disorder of the feet (claimed as trench foot), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) due to errors in duty to assist.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.
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