Kidney disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a 100% rating for retroperitoneal fibrosis with chronic lymphedema, anemia, and renal and urinary tract dysfunction and infection was denied. The Board found no CUE in the October 2002 decision that initially denied service connection.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a higher rating, finding that the correct facts were before them at the time and no CUE was present.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and Social Security Administration records. A VA medical opinion is also needed to determine if the Veteran's diabetes or renal failure are related to his active duty service.

The Board found that the April 2003 rating decision denying service connection for loss of kidney function was not based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected conditions and whether new evidence supports reopening his epididymitis claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, contributed substantially to his death due to acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease was denied in November 1966. The effective date of service connection was granted as June 27, 1966. However, the Board found that there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in this decision and granted service connection from the original claim date of June 27, 1966. Despite this, the Veteran's initial rating for chronic kidney disease remains at zero percent from June 17, 1966 to May 25, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, finding no evidence to support a link between his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and his current condition.

The Veteran died of renal failure due to diabetes mellitus, type II, dementia/Alzheimer's disease, and hypertension. The Board found no service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran has been shown to have an additional disability of ureteral obstruction resulting in hydronephrosis and chronic renal insufficiency as a result of VA surgery performed at the Madison VAMC on March 1, 2010. The additional disability was not the result of willful misconduct and was proximately caused by carelessness or error in judgment during the surgical procedure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder and kidney cancer are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding potential in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney cancer and related conditions are presumed to be due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board also finds it is at least as likely as not that these conditions have caused or contributed to his other diagnosed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, TBI residuals, seizure disorder, liver disability, bladder disability, kidney disability, pulmonary/respiratory disability, and stomach disability (GERD) due to Korean Hemorrhagic Fever. The evidence did not support a finding of these conditions or their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an audiological examination. The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma claim will also be reviewed by a clinician to determine if it is related to service, specifically Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is granted service connection based on herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service. The issue of service connection for a skin disorder and mental disorder including depression was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for skin and kidney disabilities before a decision was made.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney contusions, calcification, hypertension and end-stage renal disease were not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran seeks service connection for kidney cancer and Parkinson's disease, but the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of either condition.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no probative evidence linking the Veteran's diagnosed conditions to his active duty service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current heart disability, to include any residuals of a myocardial infarction, and concludes that this condition is not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's cause of death was multi-system organ failure, sepsis, myocardial infarction, end-stage renal disease, with significant contributing conditions of diabetes and congestive heart failure. The Board found that the Veteran did not have service-connected disabilities during his lifetime, nor were his death-causing conditions related to service or otherwise due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault.