Kidney disease decisions — 2014

The Veteran's clear cell kidney cancer was not incurred or aggravated during service, and is not presumed to be related to exposure to herbicides. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin, prostate, and kidney disorders are not related to his military service or any incident therein.

The Veteran likely has PTSD that is attributable to his active military service, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and confirming the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, kidney cancer, liver disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The Board found that these conditions were not caused or aggravated by active duty service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the February 2012 VA examination reports in assessing the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, hypertension, bilateral eye disability, and kidney disability are not supported by the evidence of record. The preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, but it is unclear if the Veteran's death was caused by VA negligence or an unforeseeable event.

The Board has granted service connection for bone cancer, left thigh fracture, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus Type II, and kidney disease as being presumptively related to herbicide exposure on Johnston Island.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is related to his military service due to herbicide exposure. The claims for malignant melanoma and lung cancer are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of kidney cancer and hypertension due to herbicide exposure should be remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet any criterion for a certificate of eligibility for a grant for special home adaptation. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from meeting the criteria for specially adapted housing, but he does not qualify for a special home adaptation grant due to lack of visual acuity or loss of use of hands.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and related complications are denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other herbicide. The Veteran was not diagnosed with hypertension until decades after service, and no medical professional has associated the diagnosis with his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional examinations and outstanding documents, including Social Security Administration records. The issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for PTSD, prostate cancer residuals, and renal dysfunction are also being addressed.

The Veteran is entitled to an increased level of SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including renal insufficiency with nephrotic syndrome, left eye blindness, right below the knee amputation, anatomical loss of left foot status post above-the-knee amputation and loss of use of right hand, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left upper extremity polyneuropathy (non-dominant), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and diabetic retinopathy.

The Veteran developed adrenal insufficiency as a result of steroid treatment provided by VA for his non-service connected lymphoma. The Board found that the adrenal insufficiency was not a foreseeable consequence of the steroid treatment and granted compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board found no evidence of a neurological disorder or adrenal mass that was incurred in service, including as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's diagnosed conditions are not presumed for the diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an updated medical opinion regarding the Veteran's renal carcinoma and addressing prior Board decisions.

The Board found that the Veteran's complications, including lymph leak and left renal fossa abscess, were not caused by VA negligence or an unforeseeable event during his kidney surgery. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was denied.