Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is granted with an effective date of January 29, 1972.,Left knee instability and right knee instability are granted with an effective date of January 29, 1972. Left knee loss of extension is also granted with the same effective date.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, heart disability (coronary artery disease), and kidney disease due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's reports of ongoing symptomatology following service are considered in conjunction with his reported diagnosis.

The Board has granted attorney fees based on the August 2013 rating decision that awarded a TDIU to the Veteran due to his service-connected chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, bronchitis, asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diverticulosis, colon polyps, kidney stones, cysts and lumps, facial acne, headaches, and depression. The remand requires obtaining private medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma, which has resulted in a right nephrectomy, is currently rated at 30 percent. The VA has ordered a new examination to assess the progression of his condition and its impact on his remaining kidney.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, left leg above-knee amputation, and end-stage kidney disease are all granted service connection due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's conditions, including his back pain and neuropathy, to his military service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The cause of death listed on the official certificate was pneumonia, secondary to lung cancer and acute renal failure, with COPD contributing significantly.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for stage three kidney failure has been reopened, and the rating for left knee patellofemoral syndrome remains at 10 percent. The rating for left elbow epicondylitis is still at 10 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of lithotripsy and remanded the issue of service connection for acute kidney stones due to a lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to conflicting evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are expected to impact her ability to work.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of aneurysmectomy with aortal femoral bypass graft and reimplantation of the interior mesenteric artery, as well as service connection for impaired renal function secondary to this surgery. The decision found that there was no evidence of VA carelessness or negligence.

The Veteran died in 1985 due to cardiopulmonary arrest, which was caused by alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatorenal syndrome. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board dismissed all appeals regarding the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as he withdrew his appeals in May 2016. The Veteran was granted a TDIU from July 26, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chest disorder, kidney disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, residuals of Giardia lamblia infection, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete examinations and lack of sufficient rationale in some opinions.

The Veteran's hypertension, kidney disorder, and PTSD were denied service connection.,PTSD was not found to be related to an in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional VA treatment records and further development. The Veteran may have prostate cancer, which could potentially grant service connection on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left rotator cuff injury, right rotator cuff injury, hypertension, cirrhosis of the liver, renal cysts and drug abuse have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has denied service connection for kidney disease due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, but has remanded the issue of service connection for acral lentiginous melanoma.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's chronic kidney disease is related to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, but the VA examiner concluded it was less likely due to or caused by diabetes. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.