Kidney disease decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and an addendum opinion to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spinal stenosis, kidney cancer residuals, and pulmonary disability. The issues are still pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for independent living services under Chapter 31 of Title 38, U.S.C., due to his current service-connected conditions and lack of feasibility in achieving a vocational goal.

The Board found that the Veteran's colon and kidney cancers are related to his service, but could not definitively link them to Agent Orange exposure. The cancers were diagnosed after service, and there is no evidence of a connection between the cancers and Agent Orange.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The evidence did not establish any connection between his death and his military service.

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

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence. The appeal is granted in this regard.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected right kidney papillary renal cell carcinoma, status post radical nephrectomy, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher than 30 percent disability rating and also determined that he did not meet criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's hypertension and renal insufficiency are found to be related to his active duty service, with the renal insufficiency being at least partially due to his hypertension.

The Board finds that the Veteran's kidney cancer is not related to his military service and therefore denies the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 25, 2010.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims should be remanded for a Travel Board hearing due to his recent move.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney disability and bladder cancer are not related to his military service, specifically due to asbestos exposure. The evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and his time in service.

The Veteran's kidney disability and hypertension claims are reopened, but the service connection for both conditions is denied as they are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic kidney disease and hypertension, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD led to a total disability evaluation, making it impossible and unsafe for him to be transferred to a VA facility. The Board grants payment or reimbursement for the unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

The Board denied service connection for a right kidney disability and a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's claims were based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found that the Veteran's right kidney cancer was not incurred or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicides. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's preexisting PKD was not aggravated by service or caused by his service-connected hypertension. The Board finds the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for PKD.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of bladder cancer, impotency, and kidney failure are granted as they are etiologically related to his exposure to ionizing radiation during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for his requested Board video-conference hearing. His claims for service connection remain pending.