Kidney disease decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to reopening a diabetes mellitus claim and service connection for various conditions secondary to diabetes.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not present in service or within a year of discharge, and are not otherwise etiologically related to service. The Board denied the claims for diabetes mellitus, parathyroid abnormality, kidney stones, elevated calcium levels, hypertension, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and hypersensitivity to light as they were not shown to be due to herbicide exposure or any other basis.

The Veteran's portal hypertension is found to be secondary to his service-connected Hepatitis C disability with cirrhosis of the liver. The kidney disorder issue remains pending for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected conditions and secondary claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, including renal cell carcinoma, dementia, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, hyperlipidemia, or atherosclerosis. The cause of death listed on his autopsy report was pneumonia due to Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death was due to chronic renal failure caused by granulomatous arteritis, and not related to service or herbicide exposure. The VA examiner concluded that hypertension and ischemic heart disease did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, ureter cancer, bladder cancer, and throat cancer as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The VA examiner found no evidence that these conditions are related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for a kidney disorder to include nephritis and hypertension, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Affording the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, his kidney disorder and hypertension are etiologically related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability and kidney disease, finding that new evidence supports the claims.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected conditions do not warrant a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of diabetic retinopathy or kidney disorder associated with his diabetes mellitus, type II. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure is characterized by generalized poor health, including lethargy, weakness, and limitation of exertion. The Board has determined that a rating of 80 percent for this condition from July 14, 2009, is appropriate.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for renal failure and acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's renal cancer is presumed to be related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service. His pulmonary disabilities are presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to fumes from mortar rounds.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service records and medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disorder, including nephrosclerosis and chronic kidney disease, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development.

The Board has granted service connection for end stage renal disease, status post transplant, as secondary to the service-connected pulmonary sarcoidosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and the relationship between service-connected left sacroiliac strain and renal cell carcinoma.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, a kidney disorder, and anemia. The preponderance of evidence does not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.