Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board has not made a decision on the service connection claim for end stage renal disease, but has remanded it due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's active duty service and Naval Reserve service are considered. An examination is needed to determine if his current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cancer and colon cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents are remanded as further development is needed, including VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations. The claims for service connection for a right knee disability, left shoulder tendonitis, higher ratings for mitral valve prolapse and coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected nephrolithiasis has been granted a 30 percent evaluation.,The Veteran's left shoulder strain and right knee disability have not met the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that it is aggravated by medications taken for the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease. The claim of service connection for chronic renal failure remains pending and requires an addendum opinion to address whether it was caused or aggravated by diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's PTSD, alcohol dependence, headaches, cirrhosis of the liver, GI disorder, bilateral knee disorder, kidney disease, spleen disorder, hypertension, keratoderma (a skin condition), and sleep disorder are all secondary to his service-connected conditions.,The VA has not provided sufficient evidence regarding the onset or causation of the Veteran's GI disorder, bilateral knee disorder, kidney disease, spleen disorder, hypertension, keratoderma (a skin condition), and sleep disorder. The Veteran’s hepatitis C is also under review for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the cause of the Veteran’s death, specifically whether his service-connected conditions contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to deficiencies in medical opinions and missing records.

The Veteran's renal failure and frequent urination are being remanded due to their connection to her service-connected PTSD. Her hypertension claim is also pending at the RO.

The Veteran's heart condition, vision loss, back conditions, lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spinal stenosis, right hip condition, kidney failure, arthritis, fibromyalgia, shoulder pain, varicose veins, carpal tunnel syndrome, and restless leg syndrome are all related to service exposure to hazardous chemicals. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination for each issue.,The Veteran's major depressive disorder, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, and mild recurrent major depressive disorder, with moderate generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder are all related to service exposure to hazardous chemicals. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination for each issue.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of lumbar radiculopathy, renal disease, and neuritis.

The Veteran's kidney stone disorder and neuropathy are not service-connected.,Tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence linking his death to military service. The Board found that the appellant has no legal basis for accrued benefits because there was no pending claim at the time of her husband's death.

The Veteran's service-connected bladder cancer and chronic kidney disease have resulted in total occupational impairment, allowing for a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, and renal calculi of the kidneys were denied. The case is remanded due to procedural errors in the rating decisions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and renal insufficiency, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service or any presumptive exposure to herbicides. The Board also found that the Veteran's hypertension did not aggravate his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

Service connection for diabetes, fibromyalgia, COPD, congestive heart failure, hypertension, sexual dysfunction (including erectile dysfunction), bladder cancer, and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy is denied.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any diagnosis or complaints related to these conditions. The Board found no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disability and an increased rating for ischemic heart disease due to incomplete medical records. The Veteran needs to provide authorization for VA to obtain his private treatment records, including those from Dr. Nicholas A. Nagrani and Dr. Joseph A. Pedone. Additionally, he needs to authorize VA to obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence, pulmonary disorder, kidney disorder, prostate disorder, and post-operative status of a left testis cyst/hydrocele. The appeals are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical records, clarifying source of service personnel records, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation during the appeal period.