The Board denied service connection for cirrhosis of liver and kidney failure as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
The deciding factor: The May 2024 VA examination records and opinions concluded that the Veteran's current conditions were less likely than not caused by chronic symptoms experienced during service due to the long silence of medical records following separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- cirrhosis of liver, kidney failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2025
- Citation
- A25039001
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for chronic kidney disease was dismissed due to the Veteran not timely filing a Notice of Disagreement within one year of the rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, for purposes of entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), as further development is necessary.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for heart disease and kidney failure due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's in-service asbestos exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney failure, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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