Brendan West had a transfusion at a British military hospital in Germany after a hit-and-run car accident while on duty in 1979.
Four decades later, aged 63, he discovered it was infected with Hepatitis C when he was turned away from donating blood.
Tests have revealed he has severe liver damage due to the virus going undetected for so long.
Mr West was with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers when his leg was "smashed to pieces" and all his ribs were broken.
Blame
He recalled: "I was becoming more and more ill...they had to amputate it.
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