Kidney disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for additional service treatment records and a medical opinion regarding his hypertension and kidney condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the point in time his medical emergency ended and whether transfer to a VA facility would have been prudent. Additionally, the case should be readjudicated based on all pertinent laws and regulations.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Fawcett Memorial Hospital from February 22-27, 2013 are now authorized for payment due to the emergent nature of his condition and the unavailability of VA facilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his diabetes and whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. Additionally, he must be provided with statements of the case on issues related to reopening his gastritis claim and increased ratings for hip disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection for kidney stones, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review this matter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of burning foot syndrome, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current kidney condition is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was in need of regular aid and attendance between September 2007 and his death. The case is therefore REMANDED for such development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a kidney disability, residuals of a concussion, neck disability, or lumbar spine disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for renal cell carcinoma is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's ankle/feet, back, neck, left shoulder, stomach/gastrointestinal, and psychiatric disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The kidney disorder was determined to be pre-existing and not aggravated during service.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and whether his service-connected asthma or any in-service incident caused or aggravated other causes of death. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was not caused or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The preponderance of evidence indicates no chronic conditions involving the kidneys, heart, or lungs during his period of active service and no post-service medical records linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected kidney disability required emergency dialysis treatment at Murrells Inlet Dialysis on June 2, 2010, August 2, 2010, and September 1, 2010. Treatment was deemed necessary due to the nature of his condition and the lack of feasible VA or fee-basis facility options.

The RO denied the claim for service connection for a cyst on the left kidney as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus based on an August 2007 VA examination report.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was related to his in-service herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange. The medical evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's fatal metastatic renal cell carcinoma may have been caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic renal cell cancer. CAD, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam, played a contributory role in his death.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially to his death from acute renal failure and coronary artery disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, which may be related to Agent Orange exposure. The case is being remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding whether the cancer is otherwise the result of service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal insufficiency, claimed as a bilateral kidney disorder, is denied because there is no current evidence of the condition. The Board notes that the Veteran failed to report for blood work ordered by the VA examiner in July 2013.