Kidney disease decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence linking any service-connected disability to his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hip and kidney disabilities, finding no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, nephropathy (claimed as kidney problem), and hypertension were denied. The Board found that these conditions are not related to his military service or service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address the cause of the veteran's death and accrued benefits claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing at the Waco, Texas Regional Office.

The veteran's service connection claims for pneumonia, postoperative residuals of bilateral inguinal hernia, hepatitis, kidney disability, appendectomy, shingles, and psychiatric disability are all denied. The veteran has been granted service connection for the postoperative residuals of bilateral inguinal hernia.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any service-connected conditions, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran timely filed a substantive appeal regarding the March 2003 rating decision, which granted a 10 percent rating for peptic ulcer disease and denied service connection for several other conditions. The issues of reopening previously denied claims and seeking an earlier effective date remain with the RO.

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 his metastatic liver cancer to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, renal disease as secondary to hepatitis C, and a psychiatric disability to include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has determined that the veteran's removal of the left kidney during service was a direct result of an injury sustained in a car accident prior to service, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's kidney stones have been manifest throughout the appeal period by passage of six stones in 2002 and occasional episodes of renal colic, with one brief hospitalization for a lithotripsy procedure in November 2005. The criteria are not met for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for kidney stones.

The veteran seeks service connection for bronchial asthma and an initial compensable evaluation for chronic renal disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, provide corrective VCAA notice, and schedule the veteran for a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's loss of the left kidney was not caused by VA treatment, and thus denied her claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not due to his service-connected anxiety reaction or any other condition related to service. The causes of death listed on the death certificate and hospitalization records are not considered to be related to the veteran's service.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to Type II diabetes mellitus, which was presumed to have been caused by his in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The renal disease that led to his death is considered more than likely due to this diabetes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for skin disease, liver disease, and kidney disease as a result of exposure to herbicides due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's death from renal cell carcinoma was not caused by service-connected conditions, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for kidney failure, residuals of a stroke, and the veteran's shell fragment wounds to his back and left arm. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by, or substantially or materially contributed to, a disability incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The cause of death listed on his certificate of death was cardiac arrest due to acute renal failure and congestive heart failure.