Kidney disease decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's service connection claim for eczema and chronic kidney disease was granted. The Veteran's DDD of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an adrenal gland disorder and a gallbladder disorder have been denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating than 10 percent for her left knee degenerative patellofemoral changes has also been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining an opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's kidney disorder as it relates to her claimed in-service fall and low back pain.

The Veteran's appeals for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 and service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain Quality Assurance records related to his MRSA infection.

The Board has granted a 100% schedular rating for schizoaffective disorder and entitlement to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits since October 18, 2001. The effective date of service connection for the psychiatric disability is also set at this date.

The Veteran's service-connected nephrolithiasis disability has been manifested by recurrent kidney stone formation that requires diet therapy, warranting a 30 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal insufficiency, also claimed as a kidney condition, is not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and provide opinions regarding the relationship between his conditions and active service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his service treatment records and personnel records from the Air Force Reserve Personnel Records Center. The Veteran will also be asked to complete a NA Form 13055 (Request for Information to Reconstruct Medical Data) to help locate his missing records.

The Veteran's kidney cancer, diagnosed after service and presumed to be related to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune, is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA examination.

The Veteran's kidney and left hip disorders (other than arthritis) are not presumed to be related to exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp LeJeune. The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is not shown to be due to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for headaches due to undiagnosed illness and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating or entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for renal cell carcinoma, including its residuals, is granted due to presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's kidney disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it was caused or worsened by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60 percent rating for renal insufficiency was denied as the earliest factually ascertainable date showing a definite decrease in kidney function was July 22, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance was denied because the service-connected condition that required regular aid and attendance (coronary artery disease) was not granted until October 26, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability caused or materially contributed to his death due to chronic renal failure and osteoporosis.