Hepatitis

[LeroyJohnson]

I am working on several health issues for a veteran friend of mine and I am hoping someone can answer something for me. She had hepatitis when she was 12, she served 6 years and in her 5th year of service she began to have liver problems. developed jaundice once and several tests came back showing abnormal liver functions. This was back in the 70's she is now having big time problems with her liver.

MY question is since the army accepted her knowing she had had hepatitis as a child and had no problems for the first 5 years of service would it even get off the ground if I filed for the liver for her?

Also her records show that for some reason she began loosing all the enamel from her teeth needed tons of dental work done while in service and still had dental problems when she left military service do you think I should file for dental care or would that be a waste of time. She is not service connected for anything at this time.

thanks Leroy

[Berta]

http://www.va.gov/vetapp97/files4/9730871.txt

This BVA claim might help - pre-existing conditions- when aggravated by service can someimes be service connected-

38 USC 1110,1111,1131, 1153 and 38 CFR 3.306 and Wagner V Principi 370 F.3rd 1089 (2004)

A vet with a pre-existing condition that becomes manifest at 10% during a presump-

tive period even if the disease pre-existed service-can have it service connected -

Presumptive service connection and the conditions for it is also explained in the 38 USC references above-although hepatitis isn't on that list-

It pays to carefully study the regs in these cases and it does appear to me that she would definitely have a SC claim-(I assume the type of Hepatitis she has now is the same as she had when a child and listed in her entrance exam.I wonder if the dental enamel problem is in some way related to the liver problems due to the hepatitis. I would put in claim for that too as secondary-as it is possible.

Has her dentist ever stated any reason for the enamel problems?

A good opinion on that from a dentist could help this claim if they are related problems.

One thing for sure- dental work itself can cause one to get hepatitis if the dental instruments are not properly cleaned.

[LeroyJohnson]

Thanks Berta, I am never sure when I should try for something or not and I don't want to get someones hopes up which happens even though I do tell them don't be surprised by a denial.I will do a search to see if the dental problems might be caused by the hepatitis. my mind is not working right as i never even thought to try and connect the two conditions. her smr's are full of medical problems back problems, dental, bronchitis, sinusitis, chest pains, a concussion from being sexually attacked, a broken nose from that attack, I am sure she has PTSD and have filed for that already thank you for your response I guess I need to take a deep breath and plunge into this and see what I can help her get. Leroy

[LeroyJohnson]

The type of hepatitis she had then and still has was hepatitis C .I don't know if that will make a difference or not. I also have not been able to find anything that would connect the problem with her teeth and the hepatitis. I will keep looking for possible reasons for it.

thanks Leroy

[Hoppy]

If there are no medical reports from her childhood supporting the diagnosis of HEP C, deny that she ever had it. I have seen many cases denied by the VA wherby they cited a veterans subjective statements as to the existence of pre service conditions. Many of these cases had 5 different and unrelate disases that could have caused the symptoms. Parents, teachers and school nurses are the source of diagnoses of many child hood diseases, not doctors. She could be confused about the diagnosis she had as a child.

[LeroyJohnson]

her father got it and that is how she contracted it from him and it was on her induction exam that she had it at age 12.

[Hoppy]

Leroy,

I have seen strange things. If they did not run tests to verify it on induction physical they could have taken her word for it. Some parents tell their kids strange things. Cover all the bases.