Kidney disease decisions — 2004

The Board denied service connection for cardiomyopathy and denied increased evaluations for hydronephrosis of the left kidney and urethral stricture, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's kidney disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to inability to locate service medical records and will provide another opportunity for the appellant to submit alternative evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia and an increased rating for costochondritis. The claim for service connection is based on a lack of evidence linking the condition to service or any other factor, while the claim for an increased rating is also denied due to insufficient evidence supporting a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been caused by service. The causes of death were listed as cardio-pulmonary arrest, secondary to septic shock, pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a genitourinary system disorder, but the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim as there is no competent medical evidence establishing a causal relationship between the inservice diagnosis of nonspecific urethritis and the current kidney stone and ureterolithiasis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination regarding the veteran's claimed conditions, including urinary/kidney disorder, hypertension, and ulcerative stomach.