Hepatitis Rating

Question:

I was granted Hep B, chronic liver disease with 0 rating. I've had daily and intermitten fatigue, malaise and anorexia between two and four weeks but according to VALL ACC,  a chronic medical percentage is not to be used for a walk -in so since these conditions come and go .How do you prove you've had them?I've sent in a 20-0995 with-in my year. Have you heard of the VETEVASVC .Thank you

Jim's Reply:

The ratings for hepatitis are somewhat controversial these days since so many veterans are being cured of the disease. The new medicines that are available have made the cure fairly simple, if expensive, and a lot of vets who had hepatitis are now free of the disease. 

Once we don't have a disease, it's debatable whether we can be rated for the disease, we can be rated for any residual effects of the disease or treatments.

To meet even the lower ranked ratings the veteran must provide proof of;

* Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with minor weight loss and hepatomegaly, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least four weeks, but less than six weeks, during the past 12-month period 40%

* Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia (without weight loss or hepatomegaly), requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least two weeks, but less than four weeks, during the past 12-month period 20%

* Intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least one week, but less than two weeks, during the past 12-month period 10%

* Nonsymptomatic 0%

For example, to be rated at 10% the veteran must present the symptoms in a diary or a day to day self generated medical record that tells the rater your weight fluctuations, blood pressure and so on. It's been my experience that if the veteran claimant will take the time to record a diary or journal of signs and symptoms over a period of at least 3 (and hopefully more) months and present that as evidence, raters are often happy to award service connection on such a medical record. 

Think Blue Button to make it seem more official and lend some cred.

 


Source URL: https://www.statesidelegal.org/hepatitis-rating