Kidney disease decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for loss of kidney and an increased rating for bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus right foot and degenerative joint disease of the left foot, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete documentation from the Social Security Administration. The issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for kidney stones, on an extra-schedular basis, and TDIU are also pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development regarding the appellant's claimed stressor, treatment records, and medical opinions for his low back, left knee, heart, and kidney disorders.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 21, 2016 and as of that date was denied. The Board found no evidence supporting a rating higher than the current 10 percent or 20 percent ratings.,Service connection claims for right eye disorder, left eye disorder, alcohol dependence, liver disorder, renal disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and lower extremities were all denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney disorder were denied in September 2014. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and his hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable.

The Board denied service connection for renal failure and granted a non-compensable rating for residuals of circumcision due to herpes simplex, but the Veteran's claim for increased rating remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer, lung disability, and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development including a hearing, verification of exposure to herbicides or environmental hazards, and examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral cataracts are not service-connected and do not warrant a compensable rating.,Service connection for hypertension is denied as the evidence does not establish that it began during or was caused by active duty service.,Service connection for a heart disability (claimed as atherosclerosis) is denied due to insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for chronic kidney dysfunction and polyuria claimed to be due to nephrectomy occurring at a VA facility is denied because informed consent was present, and there is no proximate cause of the disability from the procedure.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a back disability claimed to be due to nephrectomy occurring at a VA facility is denied as the Veteran's condition did not result from the procedure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for removal of a right kidney is denied, and his claims for increased ratings for PTSD and diabetes mellitus are not currently in dispute as they were previously addressed by the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's liver condition, kidney condition and skin condition are all related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to his epididymitis, incontinence, prostate disorder, and kidney disorder. The decision also addressed a claim for bilateral nuclear sclerotic and anterior subcapsular cataracts but found that there was no causal relationship between the cataracts and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney and adrenal gland disability, claimed as secondary to an allergic reaction to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board denied attorney fees for past-due benefits as the fee agreement was not entered before a final decision on the issue, and no provision exists to grant such fees.

The Veteran's heart tumor, hypertension, and kidney disease are being remanded for additional development to determine if they are related to his service in the Persian Gulf.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including Parkinson's disease, tremors, heart damage, dementia, lung damage, and kidney damage, were not caused by VA's negligence or lack of proper skill in providing surgical care. The anastomotic leak was a foreseeable complication.

The Veteran's kidney stones claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a kidney disability as proximately related to hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions. The claim for hypertension was not granted due to lack of continuity of symptomatology within one year post-service, and the claim for a kidney disability was denied as a matter of law since service connection for hypertension was not established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a chronic liver disorder, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the November 2013 VA examination reports are inadequate to adjudicate the appeals and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's death was caused by renal failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), and diabetes mellitus. The cause of these conditions is not service-connected.,VA treatment or care did not contribute to the Veteran's death.