The veteran's service-connected steatohepatitis has not met the criteria for a compensable evaluation as he does not experience intermittent malaise and anorexia or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least one week.
The deciding factor: The evidence suggests that the veteran's steatohepatitis is not entirely 'nonsymptomatic,' but it does not indicate that he experiences intermittent malaise and anorexia or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least one week, which are required for a 10 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- steatohepatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2008
- Citation
- 0816302
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for steatohepatitis and gastrointestinal impairment, to include chronic diarrhea and GERD. The claims for a chronic cough, right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, facial scar, back disability, left hip disability, bilateral hand osteoarthritis, hemorrhoids, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for steatohepatitis, finding a nexus between the Veteran's in-service use of isoniazid and his current liver disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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