Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, cancer of the kidneys, and heart condition due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing in-service onset or a link between his current conditions and service.

The Board has vacated its June 2018 decision denying service connection for renal cell carcinoma because it failed to consider additional medical evidence. The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was not incurred in active duty service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred due to exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the appeal is, therefore, REMANDED. The Veteran's claim for service connection for neuropathy, to include as secondary to his service-connected disability of diabetes mellitus, will be remanded.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities, including hiatal hernia and gastritis, are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's kidney disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The claim for hypertension remains pending due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Board granted DIC benefits for the cause of the Veteran’s death effective from July 1, 2014. The Appellant's claim to reopen her previous denied claim was received on June 16, 2014.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for asthma, hypertension, and a kidney disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed. The Board has remanded several issues including vertigo, colitis, hemorrhoids (secondary to colitis), fungal infections of the toenails, and thyroid condition post thyroidectomy due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed conditions or their relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an opinion regarding the Veteran's kidney disability, including whether it is related to herbicide exposure or secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's widow is seeking an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance, which was granted from August 5, 2010. The Board found that the effective date should be August 5, 2010 as it was factually ascertainable at that time that the Veteran was entitled to SMC.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and removal are granted as service connected due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The cause of death is also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and determine if he was exposed to herbicide agents or radiation during his National Guard service in Korea. The issues of service connection have been remanded as well.

The Veteran's death from renal cell carcinoma is not service-connected, as there is no direct evidence linking the condition to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the reopened service connection claims for kidney and gallbladder disabilities, as well as the issue regarding a combined rating over 90 percent, need further development. The Veteran's claims will be remanded to allow for additional medical examination and consideration.

The Veteran's cause of death, gastric adenocarcinoma, is found to be due to toxic herbicide exposure during service. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any of the fatal conditions (sepsis, oliguric renal failure, leukocytosis, small bowel obstruction, and respiratory failure) to his active duty, including his conceded Agent Orange exposure during service in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for liver disability, kidney disability, lymph node condition, and PTSD as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions in the Veteran's medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and left renal cell carcinoma, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the current disability and service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within one year thereafter, and the medical evidence does not support a connection to service.,Service connection for eye disability, loss of use of a creative organ, and kidney disorder are denied due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation.