Kidney disease decisions — 2006

The veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease and left ventricular hypertrophy, along with renal insufficiency, contributed to his death. As the veteran was a former prisoner of war, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, a heart disorder with atrial fibrillation, and kidney disorder. The evidence does not support these claims as there is no clear link between the current conditions and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right buttock and renal calculus, finding no evidence supporting higher evaluations under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic renal insufficiency and an eye condition, finding no competent medical evidence showing that these conditions are related to service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and secondary service connection are being remanded due to the need for proper VCAA notice and a nexus opinion.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for PTSD, kidney disorder, and TDIU are also being addressed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's causes of death - chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus type II, atrial fibrillation, and peripheral vascular disease - are not related to his service-connected PTSD. The Board finds that the appellant's claim for service connection for cause of death must be denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound of the back is remanded due to incomplete medical records and lack of examination. The issue includes determining whether current symptoms are related to active service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for stomach cramps/diverticulitis, rectal bleeding, kidney disorder, prostate disorder, and arthritis of multiple joints. The appeals are based on presumed exposure to ionizing radiation during military service, but no such evidence was provided or found.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current 30 percent evaluation for idiopathic kidney stone formation is appropriate and denied any higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including irritable colon syndrome, bladder cancer, stomach condition, skin cancer, kidney condition, and hemorrhoids, all of which were deemed not related to active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's renal cell carcinoma with metastatic disease to the left femur was not incurred during service and is not related to his in-service exposure to pentachlorophenol. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death, and concluded that his fatal cardiovascular-renal disease and emphysema were due to his history of hypercholesterolemia and extensive cigarette smoking.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to his military service, and thus denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of death. The appellant is also not entitled to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as she did not meet the required criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board found no evidence supporting the veteran's claim that VA failed to diagnose or treat his prostate infection or kidney stones, and thus denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran's kidney failure with dialysis is not related to service, and therefore denied his claim.

The Board denied service connection for chronic renal failure, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The veteran's kidney failure was attributed to diabetes mellitus, which is not service-connected. Hypertension pre-existed service and did not worsen during service. Coronary artery disease developed many years after service.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions and denied all claims.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking the cause of death to military service or herbicide exposure.