Kidney disease decisions — 2007

The VA determined that the veteran's additional disability involving renal failure and heart disease was not caused by VA medical treatment with Lisinopril since the mid-1990s, as there is no competent medical evidence showing such a connection.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for left renal stones, tinea versicolor, and left knee disability.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disability, and kidney disorder (manifested by renal failure) as these conditions are not shown to be related to service. Service connection is granted for a low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions of pulmonary tuberculosis, hearing loss, kidney disease, poor vision, and asthma were not incurred or aggravated during service. The claims are denied.

The Board found that the veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus could not establish exposure to Agent Orange. The cause of death, metastatic kidney cancer, was not service-connected as there is no evidence of its presence during service or for decades thereafter. Lung cancer, claimed by the appellant, also had no service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability evaluations under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence linking them to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and renal cell cancer, both claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board finds that the evidence does not support service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including a kidney disorder.

The Board denied the reopening of the veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disorder and an eye disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted in either case.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal failure as a result of a non-functioning left kidney, finding no evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to renal failure and metastatic carcinomas of unknown primary, finding no direct or secondary service connection. The cancers were not related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the case can be decided.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service, may not be presumed to have been so incurred, and was not secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his arrhythmia, ischemic cardiomyopathy, intestinal obstruction secondary to chronic carcinoma, chronic carcinoma, and chronic renal insufficiency were not related to his service-connected PTB.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was metastatic kidney cancer, which is not service-connected.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal of fourteen service connection issues due to his request for withdrawal. The only remaining issue is tinnitus, which was denied as there is no evidence that it was incurred during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for autonomic insufficiency, end-stage renal failure, peripheral neuropathy, and orthostatic hypotension as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's chronic renal insufficiency and diabetic nephropathy associated with Type II diabetes mellitus, finding that such conditions have been shown to be manifested by a definite decrease in kidney function.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including a VA renal examination.