Kidney disease decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for chronic renal failure or hearing loss, as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of renal cell carcinoma (pulmonary metastases) is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a comprehensive VA opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, as well as residuals of bilateral below the knee amputations, secondary to ischemia caused by heart disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for HIV/AIDS and a kidney disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The case is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the RO. The Veteran's claims regarding service connection and pension benefits are still under review.

The Board is remanding the case to provide proper VCAA notice and to review all submitted evidence since the last supplemental statement of the case. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her father's death will be reconsidered.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney failure, finding that these conditions began during the Veteran's period of active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, are denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for a chronic kidney disability and prostate cancer residuals have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury, disease or continuous symptoms post-service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to support a nexus between any current conditions and service.

The Veteran's kidney carcinoma was not shown in service and has not been shown by competent evidence to be related to an injury or disease incurred in service, nor may it be presumed to have been due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's PTSD disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Veteran's stomach disorder (GERD) is found to be service-connected, as it is claimed as secondary to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation exposure during military service. The other issues are not addressed due to lack of evidence or the complexity of the claims.

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

The Board found no evidence of a kidney disorder or asbestosis in service, and the Veteran's testimony regarding these conditions is not credible.,There is no competent medical evidence linking current asbestosis to service exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining records from Horizon Medical Center, reviewing all pertinent evidence in the claims file, and providing a medical opinion regarding whether emergency treatment was necessary.

The Veteran's current kidney disability is found to be etiologically related to his active service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for a kidney disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, finding that none were incurred or aggravated by his military service and that any current disabilities are not related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, hypertensive retinopathy, and renal cell carcinoma were denied as these conditions are not shown to be directly related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic kidney disorder is likely due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants secondary service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on July 6, 2009 for treatment of kidney stones were granted as the condition was considered an emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not the result of any other incident of service. The Board finds that service connection for renal cell carcinoma is denied.