Hepatitis C decisions — 2009

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that it is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, hepatitis C, or rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete information and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, vitiligo, and hepatitis C were all found to be incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne, hepatitis C, and PTSD on the merits. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy or provided credible supporting evidence of his claimed stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have currently diagnosed conditions such as sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, major depression, or PTSD. The service connection claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, liver transplant, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy were denied as they are not shown to be related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development of the record, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as there is no evidence of the condition during his period of active duty and no residuals were found in a recent VA examination. The positive test result from December 2003 could have been due to lab error.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hepatitis C, both on a direct basis and as secondary to his service-connected infectious hepatitis. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including sending corrective VCAA notice and obtaining an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hepatitis C and his service-connected infectious hepatitis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The claim for shortness of breath and fatigue is also denied as there is no service connection.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and secondary cancers of the stomach, pancreas, and bile ducts were not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by military service. The Veteran's Hodgkin's lymphoma was also not shown to be related to his period of active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his hepatitis C service connection, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his military service and the condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen his right knee injury claim, and he does not meet the criteria for service connection for other conditions.