Kidney disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, dizziness, kidney disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction, are not sufficiently disabling to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment given his prior vocational attainment, work history, and level of education.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for hypothyroid disease and service connection for a skin disorder have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to February 14, 2012, or in excess of 60 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, or at the housebound rate was denied as he does not meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. The evidence supports the Veteran's claims of in-service symptoms that led to current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of renal cell carcinoma, including his right kidney nephrectomy and transplant, are secondary to his exposure to chemicals in service. The Board also found that his hypertension is aggravated by his now service-connected residuals of renal cell carcinoma.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is not presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service, and there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or continuity of symptoms since separation. The Board finds that the current kidney cancer did not manifest within presumptive periods.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bladder and kidney disabilities are related to his service-connected prostatitis, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no current evidence of chronic or recurrent kidney and/or bladder infections, and concluded that the Veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred in service or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.,Resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, a disability manifested by dehydration had its onset during military service. The Board also found that kidney stones were incurred in service.

The Veteran's service-connected thin glomerular basement membrane disease of the kidney was granted a disability rating of 20 percent effective September 22, 2009. The condition is rated as voiding dysfunction.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected renal insufficiency associated with hypertension did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung, heart, kidney, and prostate disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The VA medical opinions found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any respiratory and kidney disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that neither a disability shown in service nor a service-connected disability caused or contributed to his demise.

The Board found that there is no evidence linking the current left kidney disability to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for kidney failure and scleroderma. However, further development is needed before these claims can be adjudicated.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and requesting an addendum to the May 2010 VA examination report.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability was reopened and granted. The condition is considered to be directly related to the service-connected low back disability.,Obesity has not been found to be service connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA outpatient treatment records.