The Veteran's liver disease, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis, is not considered to be related to his service at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran’s liver condition was not caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and noted other significant risk factors for NAFLD such as obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and hypothyroidism.
- Claimed conditions
- liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20069981
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp, chronic kidney disease, and liver disease, subject to regulations governing payment of monetary benefits.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, liver disease, and hypertension as the probative evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and the Veteran's period of active-duty service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, but remanded several other claims including an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, prostate disability, COPD, coronary arteriosclerosis, femoral artery disabilities, hearing loss, tinnitus, dry eye condition, liver disease, toenail fungus, headaches, and hypertension.
- Dismissed
The veteran has withdrawn the appeal for all service connection and increased rating claims, including those related to PTSD, right ankle fracture, tinnitus, and various other conditions.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.