Kidney disease decisions — 2011

The Veteran's skin disease, including psoriasis and a benign tumor or tumors, was not found to be related to service-connected right below-the-knee amputation. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, vascular disease (exclusive of peripheral vascular disease of the right lower extremity), arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine, and kidney failure were all determined to be unrelated to military service or service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by VA hospitalization or medical treatment, and denied entitlement to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other incident of service, as renal failure, hepatorenal syndrome, and cirrhosis were not shown to have manifested during service or for many years thereafter and were not otherwise shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's renal disease, diagnosed as diabetic nephrosclerosis, is at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and warrants a separate compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with effective dates ranging from October 15, 1979 to May 19, 1994. The Veteran is also entitled to a compensable rating for peritonitis since June 18, 1989.

The Veteran's PTSD is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, leading to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The Veteran is granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent for PTSD from April 11, 2001.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service and thus denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected malaria did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from pulmonary edema, congestive heart failure, and acute renal failure. The evidence does not establish a direct link between any of these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's liver disability is related to his presumed herbicide exposure during service. The kidney disability claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the liver disability claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting urological disability, including renal calculus, meatal stenosis, urethral stricture, bacteremia and urinary infection, was aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor did any service-connected disability cause or substantially contribute to his death.

The Veteran was treated for various conditions during service, but there is no competent evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.,There are no current diagnoses and the medical opinions indicate that any diagnosed conditions did not begin in service.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and secondary service connection for end stage renal disease with hypertension, both of which are presumed to be due to the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for kidney disease/renal failure as secondary to service-connected heart disease, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations and additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's right nephrectomy for renal cell adenocarcinoma is rated at 60 percent, effective February 22, 2006. The earlier effective date of the grant of service connection for this disability is set to October 1, 1992.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, including as due to exposure to asbestos, cadmium, and other carcinogens, and secondary to service-connected nephrolithiasis is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney and colon cancers are not related to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's kidney disability, manifested by occasional attacks of renal colic requiring drug therapy and non-invasive procedures, is currently rated at 30 percent under the criteria for nephrolithiasis. The maximum schedular rating has been granted.