EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Portal Hypertension
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.114 (Digestive system) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Portal Hypertension is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 7312 of 38 CFR § 4.114, DC 7312 (current text per 2024-05-19 amendment) across 3 severity tiers (30% / 60% / 100%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Elevated blood pressure in the portal venous system, typically caused by cirrhosis, leading to splenomegaly, ascites, and esophageal/gastric varices. Rates under DC 7312 cirrhosis schedule; portal hypertension signs (splenomegaly or ascites) trigger the 30% tier directly even without high MELD score.
RATING CRITERIA (3 LEVELS)
30%
Liver disease (cirrhosis) with signs of portal hypertension such as splenomegaly or ascites and either weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, or malaise. (Or MELD score 10-11.)
60%
MELD 12-14 OR daily fatigue with one episode in the last year of variceal hemorrhage OR portal gastropathy / hepatic encephalopathy.
100%
MELD ≥ 15 OR continuous daily debilitating symptoms + generalized weakness + at least one of: ascites, SBP history, encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage, coagulopathy, portal gastropathy, hepatopulmonary/hepatorenal syndrome.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.114 (Digestive system). Source verified 2026-05-27 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026