Kidney disease decisions — 2014

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for hypertension with renal insufficiency, bilateral hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at a non-VA facility from May 13, 2010, to May 15, 2010, is dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal.,The Board has determined that the appellant was entitled to payment or reimbursement for unauthorized private medical expenses incurred during December 21, 2010, to December 30, 2010, at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, back disability, kidney disability, and hypertension. The Board finds that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to active duty service or to pre-existing disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disorder and denied service connection for a kidney disorder, finding that the Veteran's respiratory disorder is related to his active duty service while his kidney disorder is not related to either his service or his respiratory disorder.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and kidney disability were denied in an April 1969 rating decision. The current appeal seeks to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's benign prostatic hypertrophy did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty. Service connection for renal cell carcinoma was denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the appellant's claims for accrued benefits based on service connection for gallbladder condition, sickle cell anemia, stomach cancer, kidney failure, and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, hypertension, kidney transplant, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been denied as there is no credible evidence that he served in Vietnam or was exposed to herbicides during his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic kidney disability, jaundice, or a scar over the right eyebrow during service or within one year post-service. As such, these conditions are not presumed to have been incurred in service and cannot be granted on a direct basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide her with proper VCAA notice regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain further information about his exposure to ionizing radiation during service and to consider the claims for service connection. The TDIU claim will be deferred until the service connection claims are resolved.

The Veteran's death was caused by renal cell carcinoma, but the appellant contends that his service-connected disabilities contributed to his use of analgesic medications which may have led to his cancer. The Board finds a need for an expert medical opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records and further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for basal cell carcinoma of the facial area and renal cell carcinoma were denied as there was no evidence showing a relationship to military service.,Compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for both conditions were also denied due to lack of evidence linking the disabilities to VA care.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for kidney and liver disorders, finding no additional disability caused by VA medical treatment.

The Board denied service connection for CAD, sleep apnea, and COPD as not incurred or aggravated by active service. The Veteran's conditions were found to be not related to herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed to determine if it was caused by VA care or treatment, and whether the cause of his death was reasonably foreseeable. The case is being remanded for further review.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus, service connection for the cause of his death is denied.