The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye condition resulting from Hepatitis C exposure, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current eye conditions were related to his in-service exposure.
The deciding factor: The persuasive evidence of record was against a finding that the Veteran's bilateral eye condition was due to Hepatitis C exposure during service. The Veteran tested negative for Hepatitis C antibodies and had no chronic diagnoses other than refractive errors, which are not considered disabilities under VA law.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral eye condition resulting from Hepatitis C exposure, Obsessive compulsive disorder; anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified; obsessive and schizoid personality traits; non-compensable traumatic brain injury (TBI), Right knee contusion with medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain, Residuals, healed left clavicle fracture, Left wrist condition, residual of ganglion cyst with joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), Left knee condition, patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23000999
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, arthritis of the cervical spine, cervical radiculopathy of the left arm, back disability, left elbow condition, left shoulder condition, left wrist condition, left hand condition, hypertension, and an initial rating of 10 percent for coronary arteriosclerosis prior to September 24, 2024.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for vertigo, secondary to tinnitus and a compensable rating for the cesarean section scar. The claims for service connection for left ankle condition, right ankle status post achilles tendon repair, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, osteoarthritis of both hips, right wrist condition, and left wrist condition were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for other specified depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, alcohol use disorder, left hip condition, left knee condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right hip condition, right knee condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, shin splints, left leg, shin splints, right leg, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) for further development.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is granted an evaluation of 70 percent disabling, but no higher. Other claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied or remanded.
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