Kidney disease decisions — 2011

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and renal insufficiency, finding that these conditions are as likely as not related to his active duty service. Sleep apnea is considered secondary to hypertension, while renal insufficiency is found to be due to the Veteran's now service-connected sleep apnea.

The Board determined that there was no competent evidence linking the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and its associated conditions to his chemical exposure during service. The appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify the Veteran's cancer diagnoses and their relationship to his death, as well as to determine eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional service and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his death.

The Board found that the Veteran's current kidney disorder is not related to his military service and does not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to his service-connected prostatitis. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic renal disease during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation was denied as there is no evidence that he was exposed to ionizing radiation during his active duty. The Board found that infertility, which the Veteran claimed was due to his alleged radiation exposure, is not a radiogenic disease and therefore not service connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing his claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for hypertensive cardiovascular disease with chronic renal failure. The RO must issue an SOC and allow the Veteran to file a Substantive Appeal if he chooses to do so.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal dysfunction, which is a noncompensable disability due to stable kidney function and no symptoms, does not warrant a separate compensable rating as a complication of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his kidney disorder, back disorder, seborrheic dermatitis, and any additional disability caused by left heel surgery at a VA facility.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an eye examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic kidney disorder, secondary to his service-connected diabetes, will be reconsidered.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected intestinal amebiasis and denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), renal necrosis, and urosepsis.,There is no evidence linking any current gastrointestinal or genitourinary conditions to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure of the RO to issue a Statement of the Case on the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2. The remaining claims are also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by renal cell carcinoma, which is more likely than not due to asbestos and TCE exposure during military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and denied accrued benefits due to lack of evidence linking the claimed conditions to service.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for asthma, chronic renal failure, and hypertension due to a lack of evidence showing a causal link between these conditions and military service.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence, as the provided information did not relate any disability to the Veteran's recognized service.

The Board has determined that there is no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current tumors and disorders to his military service, including exposure to ionizing or non-ionizing radiation. As such, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by a service-connected disability, including hypertension.