Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not resolved and requires further development to obtain medical opinions regarding his psychiatric, prostate, sterility, and kidney cancer disabilities.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is caused by his service-connected hypertension, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, COPD, carpal tunnel syndromes, and kidney failure. The evidence submitted since the final decisions raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for renal clear cell carcinoma, including partial nephrectomy, is granted due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. This cancer is considered presumptively related to contaminated water exposure.

The Board has found that the Veteran's chronic kidney disease is presumed to have developed during his active service and granted service connection for this condition. The right shoulder dislocation claim remains pending as it pertains to a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and kidney disease are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II. The Veteran's hypertension was diagnosed in or shortly after service, while his kidney disease worsened following the onset of diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to be unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service and are related to a qualifying chronic disability. Other gastrointestinal issues will be addressed in the remand section.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not related to his service or secondary to his diabetes mellitus.,There is no evidence of a current disability for kidney cancer, and the Veteran did not provide any credible evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's fatal urinary and renal conditions are related to his service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 were denied as the evidence did not show that his claimed conditions were proximately due to or the result of VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his 80 percent rating for renal disability and 30 percent rating for generalized anxiety disorder have been denied as the earliest possible effective date is April 29, 2015.

The Board found no evidence of in-service events, injuries, or diseases related to the Veteran's current diabetes mellitus type II, heart disease, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, stomach disability, amputations, renal disease, and anemia. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for kidney and bladder problems, as well as tinnitus. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service and have denied his claims for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for recurrent nephrolithiasis, tinea versicolor, and headaches due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence showing that these conditions were aggravated by service or preexisted service.,There is no indication in the record that any of these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic kidney disorder, as secondary to his service-connected inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous peritonitis. The remand requires a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran’s current kidney disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and all claims on appeal have been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inextricably intertwined issue of service connection for hypertension. The case will be reconsidered after resolving this issue.

The Veteran's chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, diagnosed as GERD and esophagitis, are the result of his active service. His left knee disorder, kidney disorder, low back disorder, and hepatitis B have also been found to be related to his military service.