Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to new and material evidence. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the appellant's assertion that her husband died from radiation exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying asbestos exposure in service. The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension as secondary to bilateral kidney cysts is denied due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for lung disorder due to asbestos exposure cannot be granted as there is no service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right kidney cancer and removal is granted, but the case is remanded to obtain an opinion on the nature and etiology of the residuals.

The Board has granted restoration of service connection for erectile dysfunction and entitlement to SMC(k) due to erectile dysfunction. The issue of service connection for a renal disorder is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left kidney disability, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected hypertension and exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney condition, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his service-connected hypertension and his kidney condition. The preponderance of medical evidence did not support a secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of prostatitis and skin problems was remanded. The appeals for bilateral diabetic retinopathy, renal insufficiency with hypertension (due to diabetes mellitus), and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities were not resolved.

The Veteran's kidney cancer, requiring a right total nephrectomy, is being remanded for additional evidence and an advisory medical opinion regarding its etiology. The temporary total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 for surgery (a right total nephrectomy in October 2014) necessitating convalescence is also being remanded due to the kidney cancer issue.

The Veteran's cause of death was kidney cancer, which is presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure during service. Service connection for the cause of death has been granted, rendering the DIC and pension claims moot.

The Board has granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, but denied service connection for kidney disease as the evidence does not support a link between the condition and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient analysis regarding the cause of death and the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence, including information about exposure to herbicide agents during active military service.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, left pulmonary nodule, and hypertension. Service connection for chronic kidney disease and stones is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

All the Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including liver disorder, kidney disorder, renal failure, acid reflux, Barrett’s disease, stomach disorder, and intestinal disorder, all of which the Veteran claimed were related to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board found no current disabilities or evidence of in-service events that could support service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that his AML was caused by exposure to herbicide agents during service and contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and partial nephrectomy are being remanded for further examination to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the evidence now supports a finding of service connection for some disabilities due to jet fuel exposure.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a right knee disability was denied as the new evidence did not provide a basis for reopening the claim.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a skin disability was reopened due to the submission of voluminous VA treatment records that established the presence of a current skin disability.