Kidney disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100 percent rating, and his kidney disability does not result in a compensable rating. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional medical evidence regarding the kidney disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran prior to certification to the Board. The case will be returned to the RO for consideration of this additional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from acute respiratory distress syndrome due to renal failure.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding in-service radiation exposure. The Veteran's kidney condition is still under consideration.

The Veteran claims that the VA did not provide proper treatment for his right kidney disorder, leading to atrophy of the kidney. The Board has ordered additional development and a new opinion from a nephrologist.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current chronic renal insufficiency and upper gastrointestinal bleed, to include GERD, are not related to his service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current low back and knee conditions and his active duty service.,The Board also found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current kidney condition and his active duty service.

The Veteran's renal cancer and resulting kidney removal are not service-connected due to herbicide exposure or diabetes mellitus. However, his current chronic renal insufficiency is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for nose blockage, a left lower extremity disorder, and a kidney disorder. The evidence did not establish that any of these conditions were related to his military service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, kidney disorder, skin disorder, and foot disorder, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 13, 2010 for the grant of service connection for renal failure (claimed as kidney disease), as secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The earliest effective date is set at September 13, 2010.

The Board found no direct evidence linking the Veteran's diagnosed conditions to his military service and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and kidney disease were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor could they be presumed to have been so incurred. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his renal cell carcinoma, including whether it was caused or aggravated by service-connected PTSD with alcohol abuse in full remission.

The Board denied service connection for kidney tumors, to include left renal oncocytoma and right renal cell carcinoma, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between these conditions and military service or Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's bladder tumor was also found to be unrelated to service.

The Veteran's urinary tract disorder, attributed to benign prostatic hypertrophy, was not incurred in service. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma with kidney removal is not considered service-connected as it was not caused by or related to his military service, including exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA medical records and scheduling a new VA examination. Additionally, an effective date earlier than June 8, 2015, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for end stage renal failure with hypertension needs to be addressed.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disabilities he claims are the result of VA medical treatment, and he disputes that his disabilities were due to carelessness or negligence on the part of VA providers.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 20 percent, and her service connection claim for status post-operative right renal artery aneurysm is granted.