Kidney disease decisions — 2010

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death because there was no evidence showing a relationship between his service, service-connected disability (PUD), and his cause of death.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including abdominal aneurysm, hypertension, renal dysfunction, prostate disability, and respiratory disability. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address these claims.

The Veteran's renal cell cancer and pituitary tumor were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred. The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since September 27, 2004.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected PTSD, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including those allegedly related to ionizing radiation exposure, are not supported by the evidence of record and have been denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for an adrenal gland disability, but the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no medical evidence showing a current disability or causation due to exposure to chemical agents during service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The other conditions are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of the Veteran's medical records.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for emergency treatment at the Renal Hypertension Center on June 24, 2007 are approved as they met the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations.

The Board found 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 his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no credible evidence to support his PTSD diagnosis and the other conditions did not appear related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and potential Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has decided that a VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's end-stage renal disease and his service-connected hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hydronephrosis of the left kidney, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected kidney stones or due to VA treatment. Therefore, the claim for service connection and 38 U.S.C. 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's kidney disorder is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for residuals of a kidney injury with urethral stricture, finding that the new evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service, and thus grants service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's claims for kidney disease, hypertension, and gout are being remanded due to the need for further development including medical examinations.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, proteinuria with decrease in renal function, and erectile dysfunction secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The case is REMANDED due to the need for additional medical opinions.