Hbv Compensation Question

[TexasMarine]

What is the compensation rate for HBV (Hepatitus "B")?

I do have Liver Disease supported by VA documented elevated enzymes. (Fatty Liver Disease, a/c one doctor most likely caused by "your hep b")

Clean bill of Health on my SF88 (Recruitment Physical) ... check

USMC (MCRD San Diego, 1978) used jet guns on me, and yes, I and the guys before and after me all bled. ... check

Got a letter from the blood bank about 6 months later (Camp Pendleton) that they didn't want my blood because of Hep B. ... check

Got in-service treatment records. ... check

Even have an entry in my SRB (Service Record Book) regarding "light duty" for the issue. ... double check.

I have read AskNod's treatise on the disease.

Is it compensable? Is it worth pursuing?

[TexasMarine]

Just found the rating informaation.

History of one episode of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or hemorrhage from varices or portal gastropathy (erosive gastritis) .... 50

The portal gastropathy is the Liver Disease I've encountered.

This was caused (a/c one doc, by my HBV).

Now I've got to put two and two together.

Any advice?

[TexasMarine]

So, I think I've got a plan (or sort of).

My service connection will be Hep B (HBV), which as I understand it is 0% compensable, in and of itself.

My portal gastropathy (erosive gastritis) is secondary to HBV, and this should net me 50% according to the ratings schedule.

I've read USMC_VETs "How to Gatheer and Submit Evidence", located at ...

I've got to get all my documents together and make copies and prepare to submit and store them.

I've to get a doctor to state that the gastropathy is most likely caused by the HBV. (I think this is already in my VA records).

Do I need an IMO linking HBV to service if I've got the following?

1) a clean entry physical

2) in service HBV treatment records

Please feel free to correct my thinking on this issue.

[broncovet]

You can ask Alex this question, he is the undisputed Hep expert. Hopefully he will chime in.

In his absence, I will suggest you get a copy of your cfile, including SMR's.

Look in them to see if you already have a nexus.

If you do not have a doc's statement that your hepatitis is "at least as likely as not" due to xxx event in military service, then you can ask your doc for the same. He may or may not provide this nexus statement. If he/she refuses Then you can try this:

1. Ask another VA doc if he will provide said nexus.

2. If the answer is still no, then, YES, you will need an IME/IMO to get service connection.

I simply suggest you go through the steps above to see if you can get the nexus for free, before you go out and pay for an IMO/IME. Its my opinion you wont get service connected without a nexus, so you want to try the least costly things first in getting your nexus.

[TexasMarine]

I have a bit more legwork to do on this one.

I'm going to need that nexus statement. Maybe if I lay it our for my PCP or the hemotologist I can get one from the VA. If not, maybe Dr. Bash?

Either way, I now have a plan of action.

Thanks broncovet.