The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's in-service vaccinations or other factors and his post-service diagnosis of hepatitis C. The most likely risk factor for the development of hepatitis C was documented post-service with history of crack snorting as intranasal exposure can cause transmission of hepatitis C.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 18, 2024
- Citation
- 24002658
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, jaundice, hypogeusia, and hyposmia as there was no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and remanded the claim for a heart disability due to insufficient evidence.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for hepatitis C, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
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