Fatty Liver Disease Secondary To Anti-Inflammatory Meds.

[sawgunner]

Hello All.

I have been diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver disease.

I don't drink and haven't in years.

I was told by that my particular prescription anti-inflammatory meds for my service connected DDD is a possible cause.

Do any of you know if this condition is covered by the VA?

Can I file on it as secondary to my DDD due to meds?

Any idea as to what kind of % it should rate at, if any?

[Berta]

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory meds, often called NSAIDS , can cause many secondary conditions.

However the Mayo clinic says this:

“Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when your liver has trouble breaking down fats, causing fat to build up in your liver tissue. Doctors aren't sure what causes this. The wide range of diseases and conditions linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is so diverse that it's difficult to pinpoint any one cause. “

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/DS00577/DSECTION=causes

“I was told by that my particular prescription anti-inflammatory meds for my service connected DDD is a possible cause.”

If that statement has been documented by a doctor in your med recs, that will support a claim for the NSAID you get for the DDD , as causing the NAFL disability.

This BVA case shows anopther med as causing NAFL:

“ She has been treated with Prednisone (a corticosteroid) which can result in a fatty deposition in the liver and resulted in her non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The provider further opined that this condition, among others, resulted from her initial diagnosis of Crohn's disease."

"Entitlement to service connection for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as secondary to service connected Crohn's disease is granted”
http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/view.jsp?FV=http://www.va.gov/vetapp12/Files5/1233297.txt

In this case, the VA had awarded for NAFL and then tried to take the award away:

“The record considered by the July 2004 adjudicator does not
preclude a reasonable judgment decision that the veteran's
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was caused by (or increased
in severity due to) VA's prescription of simvastatin.

In summary, it is not shown that the grant of compensation
for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease under 38 U.S.C.A.
§ 1151was clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The burden of
proof required for severance is not met, and restoration of
compensation under for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 38
U.S.C.A. § 1151 is warranted.


ORDER

The appeal seeking restoration of compensation for non-
alcoholic fatty liver disease under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is
granted.”

http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/view.jsp?FV=http://www.va.gov/vetapp08/Files4/0832813.txt

The veteran had proven that the VA's prescribed simvastatin had caused or “increased in severity” his NAFL disease.He possibly could have gone for secondary instated of 1151 (I didnt read the whole decision) but ,in any event, he succeeded under 1151,38 USC.

The ratings for NAFL, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, would be found in the VA SRD here at hadit.