Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's renal disorder, including his malfunctioning right kidney and left kidney renal failure, is rated at 80 percent since November 18, 2015. He also receives special monthly compensation for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of his VA medical records and consideration of the issues related to service connection, increased ratings, and effective dates.

The Veteran's asthma, lung cancer status post right lobectomy, sleep apnea, GERD, kidney disease, and headaches are all granted as service-connected.

An effective date of June 12, 2001 is granted for the award of service connection for ischemic heart disease. The issues on pancytopenia and kidney disorder are remanded.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for parathyroid adenoma and kidney disorder, but remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding secondary service connection for kidney condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and renal cancer are remanded due to the lack of verification of herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical treatment from September 28 to October 3, 2014 at Indiana Regional Medical Center is being remanded for further development and evaluation of eligibility under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss, congestive heart failure, hypertension, colostomy due to spastic colon and ulcerated colon, end stage renal failure, and the cause of death. The remand includes obtaining medical records from prior to 2001 and requesting a new VA clinician's opinion on continuity of service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment due to his hip and pelvis disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral wrist condition and remanded the issues of service connection for kidney cancer and kidney disease (to include renal insufficiency) as secondary to kidney cancer.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is granted service connection and rated at 20 percent. His peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are each granted a 20 percent rating.

The Board has decided that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's renal disease and diabetes mellitus contributed to his death, given his service-connected conditions and exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, COPD, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unemployable from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment that are consistent with his education and occupational experience. The TDIU claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, and kidney cancer have been denied. The Board found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no competent evidence linking the condition to his active service.,Service connection for hypertension is also denied because it did not manifest during or within one year after service and is unrelated to service. The Veteran was diagnosed with hypertension in November 2012, many years post-service.,The claim for kidney failure is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the condition. Proteinuria alone does not constitute a compensable disability for VA purposes.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus service connection cannot be granted.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in February 1975, but remains denied as there is no evidence of such condition during or related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension and kidney disease secondary to service-connected lumbar strain, tinnitus, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The decision also remanded his claim for service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, hypertension, acid reflux, pain in the bilateral feet, pain in the bilateral legs, and a nerve disability have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of these conditions during active service or within one year following discharge.,While some medical records suggested possible diagnoses, they were not sufficient to establish continuity of symptomatology or a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left leg condition, kidney disease, and bilateral wrist disability due to lack of current diagnoses. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence being requested. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed, but additional records are needed from his pre-employment physical at Hillcroft Medical Clinic.