Kidney disease decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran had an adrenal disorder and/or anemia before determining if they are related to service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for residuals of mercury poisoning and immune deficiency disorder will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, metastatic lung cancer due to renal cell carcinoma with metastasis to bone and lung, was not caused or contributed substantially or materially by his military service. The evidence did not establish a medical relationship between the Veteran's cancer and his time in service.

The Veteran's current chronic renal failure and chronic kidney disease are caused by his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus, which is granted as secondary to the service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence that the VA medical care provided prior to his death resulted in additional disability or death due to negligence or lack of informed consent. The Board finds that service connection for cause of death under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is not warranted.

The Veteran's medical expenses for treatment of renal stones on June 20, 2012 at Providence Portland Medical Center and Oregon Anesthesiology Group were authorized as they were rendered in response to a continued medical emergency.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for liver disorder, gallbladder disorder, kidney lesions and stones, body stress rash release and trauma, polymyalgia rheumatic, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The remaining issues are pending.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic kidney disease is caused, at least in part, by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and related medications did not cause or contribute to his death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, prostate cancer, renal cancer, bladder cancer, and multiple myeloma are all found to be due to herbicide exposure during service.,With resolution of all reasonable doubt in his favor, the Veteran's diagnoses are considered to be related to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, kidney disability, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are not deemed to be due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault.

The Veteran's kidney stones were rated noncompensably disabling prior to March 17, 2008. Effective March 17, 2008, the Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for his kidney stones based on renal dysfunction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, specifically renal cancer, is causally related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. As a result, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was due to a disability of service origins, and therefore service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain, left knee disorder, allergic rhinitis, and renal failure. The claim for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to lack of adjudication.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation for his panic disorder without agoraphobia is granted, with an effective date of October 3, 2011. His service-connected residuals of kidney cancer are rated at 30 percent and also has no effective date specified.

The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD effective March 15, 2004, based on the Veteran's symptoms and impairment from his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service-connected conditions, and burial benefits were denied due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, effective from August 25, 2010. The appeal for increased rating of PTSD was withdrawn.