Kidney disease decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and renal cell carcinoma are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides or hazardous chemicals.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is granted as service-connected, with the cause believed to be exposure to herbicides in Vietnam or kerosene in Central America.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding the Veteran's use of cocaine and its relationship to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of orthostatic proteinuria or any related kidney disease, and thus service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for kidney disease, joint pain and numbness, and peptic ulcers. The evidence did not show a current disability for any of these conditions.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant and his authorized representative before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, kidney disease and prostate disorder are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and conduct further examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney disorder was not incurred in active service and did not result from his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim and determined that there is sufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's death and his presumed in-service herbicide exposure, which contributed to his death. The service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death.

The Veteran's cause of death, nephrotic syndrome renal failure and adult onset diabetes mellitus, was not service-connected. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, back disability, and depression were denied. The denial of the renal cell carcinoma claim is final as new and material evidence has not been submitted. Service connection was not established for the back disability or depression.

The Veteran's death was caused by an acute myocardial infarction and failure, which is presumed to be related to his service exposure to herbicides. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on this presumption.

The Veteran's service-connected urinary tract infection as a residual of renal calculus has not manifested symptoms that warrant a higher disability rating, and thus the claim for an increased evaluation is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a blood disorder, heart disease with hypertension, and kidney disease. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence of the conditions during his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cell carcinoma and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant is not entitled to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records related to the Veteran's kidney disability and low back disability. The claims will be adjudicated again after this development.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is presumed to have been caused by his exposure to herbicides in service, specifically Agent Orange. The Board found that the evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was due to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board finds that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death. The competent medical evidence does not support a finding that any of his service-connected conditions were related to his death.

The Veteran died in May 2006 from multiple organ failure due to pneumonia. His service records do not show any exposure to herbicides or other conditions that could be linked to his death. The Board finds no evidence of a service connection for the cause of death.