Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and chronic renal disease secondary to prostate cancer due to insufficient opinions regarding their etiology. Specifically, a new opinion is needed on whether these conditions are related to presumed herbicide exposure during service or to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his military service, and the appellant is not in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound due to disability. Therefore, the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death and special monthly pension are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale provided in a previous VA opinion regarding his hypertension.

The Veteran was found unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities from October 1, 2010 to June 24, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal failure is caused by or permanently aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, which occurred after a liver transplant. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic kidney disease and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's respiratory disability is denied as there is no evidence of a connection to service. The Veteran's ureterolithiasis with renal dysfunction, which became more severe after July 5, 2018, is granted at the maximum rating.

Service connection is granted for chronic kidney disease and anxiety disorder, with a 10 percent rating assigned for residuals of a right fibula fracture. Service connection is denied for left ankle, right ankle, left foot, and right foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received. The claims are now remanded to allow for further development regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and renal disease as secondary to a service-connected disability due to insufficient examination findings. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s hypertension was proximately caused or aggravated by his PTSD and diabetes mellitus.

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

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death, and no service connection issues remain for consideration.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right kidney disorder is reopened and the appeal is granted to this extent only. The Veteran's right kidney disorder was first diagnosed while in active duty with the Army Reserves, but VA did not have access to all relevant service records at the time of the previous denial. A remand has been ordered to obtain any missing records and to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a nervous disorder was reopened and granted. He is also granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder, depressive type, and generalized anxiety disorder.,Service connection has been established for left hip disability, hypertension, and kidney disability (conceded exposure to tetrachloride).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic kidney disease is secondary to his service-connected hypertension and hypertensive heart disease with systolic murmur, and thus service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of death and burial benefits due to potential issues with the medical opinion regarding Agent Orange exposure and its relation to the Veteran's pancreatic cancer.

The Board denied service connection for chronic renal failure as secondary to PTSD and medication, but granted compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for chronic renal failure resulting from treatment with lithium at a VA medical center.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is being remanded for further evaluation due to conflicting evidence and the need for an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a link to service.,The Veteran's right and left knee replacements are remanded due to the absence of continuity of symptomatology from service and lack of explanation regarding claimed in-service injuries.,The Veteran's hypertension, chronic renal disease, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia are remanded as they may be related to his multiple myeloma. The claims for these conditions will be deferred pending further development.,The Veteran's multiple myeloma is remanded due to the absence of a dose estimate from VA’s Under Secretary for Health regarding ionizing radiation exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, hypertension secondary to PTSD, and chronic kidney disease secondary to hypertension has been granted. The Veteran is also receiving a 70 percent disability rating for his service-connected PTSD.