The evidence does not show that the Veteran's liver disorder was present in service or within one year of discharge. The most probative and persuasive medical evidence shows that his currently diagnosed hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver are due to alcoholism, not exposure to herbicides during service.
The deciding factor: Chronic alcohol intake causes cirrhosis of the liver, which is more likely than not caused by the Veteran's long history of alcohol consumption.
- Claimed conditions
- liver disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2010
- Citation
- 1017841
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1017841.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for kidney, liver, and pituitary gland disorders to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding their nature and etiology.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death before a final decision could be made.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
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