Kidney disease decisions — 2003

The veteran's claims for residuals of shrapnel wound to the left kidney, degenerative disc disease with arthritis in the lumbar spine, and arthritis of joints other than the lumbar spine are not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for recurrent fever is also not reopened.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any condition to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The Board also found that the veteran did not have a service-connected disability at the time of his death.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding service connection for multiple disorders, including those listed above, due to exposure to mustard gas.

The Board determined that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic carcinoma of the kidney, was not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active service and have denied all of his claims.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GSWs to both legs and left thigh, heart disorder, lung disorder, kidney disorder, back disorder, hearing loss, foot disorder, and knee disorder. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current kidney condition to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's kidney disease did not begin during his military service and is not related to any incident of service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's cause of death was not caused by any incident of service, including exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of mustard gas exposure, malaria, hearing loss, and a back disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's residuals of vena cava laceration are not the result of carelessness, negligence, or lack of skill on the part of VA. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for kidney disease, minimal change glomerulonephritis due to the absence of evidence showing significant impairment in his ability to function in daily life or employment.

The Board found that the cause of death was not related to service and denied all claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for renal cancer with lung metastases as a result of exposure to herbicides, finding no evidence that the lung cancer was primary or related to service. The presumption of service connection based on Agent Orange exposure does not apply due to the absence of evidence showing the lung cancer developed from the kidney primary site.

The veteran's disabilities, while disabling, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes due to their combined rating of 60 percent.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and kidney disease, finding no evidence of their onset or causation in service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to promyelocytic leukemia, but denied the claim as there is no evidence linking the disease to military service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, with renal injury due to new and material evidence being submitted. The underlying merits of the claim will be addressed in a separate decision.

The Board found that the veteran's injuries were the result of his own willful misconduct, and thus denied his claim for pension benefits.

The veteran's dementia requires constant supervision, meeting the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance.