Kidney disease decisions — 2006

The veteran seeks service connection for renal cell carcinoma and heart disease. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examinations to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for all twelve claimed conditions, finding that the appellant did not have a radiation-exposed veteran status and there was no objective evidence of actual exposure to ionizing radiation during her military service.

The Board found that the veteran's renal and bladder cancer is linked to his in-service exposure to carbon tetrachloride, which is considered a direct service connection. The claim was granted.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the grant of secondary service connection for a left above-the-knee amputation. The case is returned to the RO for further development.

The Board found that the veteran did not incur a chronic acquired kidney disorder in service or as a result of any incident of service. The pre-existing right kidney disorder, if present prior to service, was not aggravated during service and is not considered to have been aggravated by any incident there.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development and readjudication, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the veteran's service-connected bilateral foot disability caused or aggravated his sepsis, which was the immediate cause of death.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for urinary tract infection and kidney disorder with back pain, finding that there is no evidence showing a nexus between current disorders and service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete records and further examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, which could affect his claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's case is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected kidney stones and their effects.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disorder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, TMJ pain, left hip disability, and low back disability due to a lack of medical evidence showing current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his kidney cancer was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation during service, and denied the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, sinusitis, and an adrenal cyst. The veteran's claim to reopen her adrenal cyst was also denied.

The veteran's death was caused by severe aortic stenosis, with chronic renal failure listed as a contributing cause. The Board finds that the cause of the veteran's death is presumed to have been incurred in service and grants service connection for the cause of death. Eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, sleep apnea, and kidney disorder began during his military service. Service connection is granted for all three conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's kidney cancer may not be presumed to have been incurred in service due to lack of evidence showing direct causation. The eye disability claim is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for renal insufficiency and ventral/incisional hernia, both resulting from treatment received at a VA medical facility in July 2000.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left ectopic kidney disability, which is currently rated as 60 percent disabling.