Claim for Liver Damage-How to Approach ?

[USMC46]

In 1966, at Pendleton, I developed a severe sore throat. Went to sick bay, and doctor told me it was tonsillitis and that he could do nothing until swelling went away. Got worse next day, back to sick bay, and was told, same thing. That night I was shaking and getting weaker and had extreme temp. Back the next day to sick bay. Dr. started to run me off, but then told me to lay down on exam table. He felt my stomach and called ambulance. My spleen was about to burst, as I had been mis-diagnosed. I was rushed to base hospital. No, tonsillitis, but instead I had Infectious Mononucleosis. Several weeks in hospital while my spleen stabilized. My discharge from the hospital actually says I was released with an enlarged spleen.  Fast forward several years, my Gastroenterologist discovered a lump in my liver. Biopsy indicated I had had Hepatitis some time and did not know it, so was not treated for it and liver was damaged. My liver has been abnormal for a long time. I'm told I should drink less and I don't drink !!.  Infectious Mono CAN CAUSE HEPATITIS !   My theory is that the mis-diagnosis at Camp Pendleton hospital also missed the Hepatitis.   

I could use some advice on how to move forward IF...IF... appropriate physicians indicate my theory could be correct.  Each year I'm around my liver tests show it is always under stress, and there seems to be no fix for that. So, I may have a liver failure in my future. IF the doctors at Pendleton are at fault, I believe I need to get this on record.

Any advice appreciated.

J.S.

Sergeant-USMC  

1964-1967

 

 

 

[broncovet]

Contact Alex Graham..he is the expert on Hep C.  (Asknod).  As always, however, you need these three things for service connection:

1.  Current diagnosis (hep c). 

2.  In service event.  It sounds like you could have that. 

3.  Nexus, or docs opinion that your in service event at least as likely as not caused your hep c.  

     However, there are other things that could have caused your hep c..a big one is the "vaccination gun" they used to vaccinate you.  It has been found that these leave a drop of blood in the tip, then shoot that blood into the next troop.  So if the guy who was vacinated before you had hep c, then you got some of his blood.  Again ask Alex..he is an expert on Hep C.