Fatty Liver Disease

DC 7345Digestive38 CFR 4.114, DC 7345

A condition where too much fat builds up in your liver, which can lead to inflammation and damage. The VA rates fatty liver disease based on your symptoms and how much the condition affects your daily life.

Rating Levels

You have near-constant debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain.

What the VA looks for

Near-constant debilitating symptoms
Inability to maintain employment
Severe liver dysfunction on lab work
Progression toward cirrhosis documented

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting regular liver function tests and imaging (ultrasound or FibroScan) to document disease progression.
⚠Not connecting fatty liver to medications used for service-connected conditions or to metabolic conditions like diabetes.
⚠Not documenting how fatigue and malaise affect your daily functioning and work — the rating depends on symptom severity.
⚠Fatty liver can progress to cirrhosis — if it does, request re-evaluation under DC 7312 for a potentially higher rating.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Liver Conditions

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Rating Levels

You have near-constant debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain.

What the VA looks for

Near-constant debilitating symptoms
Inability to maintain employment
Severe liver dysfunction on lab work
Progression toward cirrhosis documented

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting regular liver function tests and imaging (ultrasound or FibroScan) to document disease progression.

⚠Not connecting fatty liver to medications used for service-connected conditions or to metabolic conditions like diabetes.

⚠Not documenting how fatigue and malaise affect your daily functioning and work — the rating depends on symptom severity.

⚠Fatty liver can progress to cirrhosis — if it does, request re-evaluation under DC 7312 for a potentially higher rating.