The Board granted service connection for liver disease, diagnosed as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis liver disease (MASLD), and cirrhosis of the liver, based on a nexus to in-service herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The March 2024 VA opinion was considered probative as it was based on a review of the record and supported by adequate rationale, and there is no evidence to the contrary. The evidence is in relative balance regarding whether a nexus exists between the currently diagnosed liver disease and the Veteran's service.
- Claimed conditions
- nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis liver disease (MASLD), cirrhosis of the liver
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028072
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, finding that it was due to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, but denied earlier effective dates for service connection and a higher rating for tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 100 percent for lung cancer but granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance, effective December 7, 2022.
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