The Veteran's claim for service connection for a liver disability is denied. The claims for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD since December 5, 2013 and for effective dates earlier than December 5, 2013 are remanded.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support finding that the Veteran's liver disability was incurred during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The condition is considered hereditary and did not manifest until later in life.
- Claimed conditions
- liver disability, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hereditary hemochromatosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18156026
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18156026.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for hereditary hemochromatosis based on new and relevant evidence, leading to the dismissal of the appeal.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a liver disability has been dismissed due to the withdrawal by his attorney prior to the Board making a decision.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current disability for the conditions he is seeking service connection for, and thus denied these claims. The appeal was also remanded for additional examinations related to other disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's liver disability is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD and has been granted.
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