The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding service connection for hepatic steatosis/fatty liver disease, which is related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. A new medical opinion is needed.
The deciding factor: The current VA examiner's opinion was based on inaccurate factual premises and therefore insufficient.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatic steatosis, fatty liver disease
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19183424
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back disability, and other conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for cervical strain and a compensable rating for scars post-removal of squamous cell carcinomas, while remanding several other claims including diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic neuropathies, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, left knee disability, traumatic brain injury with post-concussion syndrome migraines, and left hip disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for fatty liver disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with opiate/alcohol abuse disorders.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatic steatosis, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no sufficient nexus to exposure at Camp Lejeune.
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