Kidney disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were denied. The Veteran was not granted service connection for a benign right renal cyst, post laparoscopic radical nephrectomy due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service or exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. His claim for an increased rating for recurrent left wrist ganglion cyst was also denied as there is no evidence showing that the current disability has worsened since the last examination in 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ankle swelling, kidney stones, adrenal gland tumor, and bilateral eye condition as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and active duty service.

The Board finds that the recoupment of the remaining separation pay is mandated by law and proper, as VA correctly stopped the Veteran's compensation benefits due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cause of death, myocardial infarction with shock and renal failure, was not caused or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of hypertension in service.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service, and he has secondary entitlement for renal failure and gout. The Board grants the claim for hypertension.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical services for kidney stones received on May 1, 2010 at St. Vincent's Medical Center were not authorized in advance by VA and the criteria for payment or reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725 were not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's residuals of renal and bladder cancer, including voiding dysfunction, were manifested by nocturia of about 5 times per night and urine leakage or accidents causing replacement of undergarments up to 2 times per day. The Board found that the criteria for a 40 percent rating have been met.

The Board finds that service connection is granted for tinnitus, but not for left ear hearing loss or renal cancer of the left kidney.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated again.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a kidney disorder, and GERD. The conditions were not found to be directly related to service or secondary to service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have evidence of in-service radiation exposure and his current cardiovascular disorder is not linked to service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the conditions listed in his claims, and therefore, denied all of them.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for cystic kidney disease was denied, while her anemia was granted a non-schedular (40%) rating effective February 2007. The issue of service connection for a back disability is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including tremors of the feet, hands, migraine headaches, diabetes mellitus, adrenal gland disability, renal disability, hypertension, heart disease, lung cancer, and pes planus, were not incurred in service or due to exposure to herbicides. The claims are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for pituitary dysfunction and denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for residuals of pulmonary emboli. The Veteran's current endocrinopathies are related to his in-service head injury.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic right renal cyst and a chronic sinus disorder (including sinusitis). The Veteran's right kidney cyst was initially manifested during active service, while the sinus disorder is currently diagnosed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause his death, as other significant conditions contributing to death were found.