Hepatitis C decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the appellant's hepatitis C with liver damage was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C is related to service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical examination and development of records, including SSA records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a liver condition secondary to hepatitis C and an increased rating for hepatitis C are pending.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and cervical spine strain claims are being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the current state of his conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C was not incurred during service and is not related to any incident of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of communication with the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran does not have hepatitis C or a disability that prevents him from engaging in substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hepatitis C has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, and C, did not develop during his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or connection to service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for Hepatitis C in January 2007, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to service. The decision is not subject to revision on grounds of clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's hepatitis C is currently evaluated as noncompensable due to the absence of symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, anorexia, or incapacitating episodes. The Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar disorder and PTSD) were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found that the current disabilities are less likely than not related to in-service events.

The Veteran claims entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C, which he asserts was caused by a blood transfusion during active duty. The case is being remanded due to the lack of inpatient or clinical records related to his claimed exposure and incomplete medical history.