Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death, finding that no service-connected condition contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for back injury, now claimed as a back condition. Service connection is also granted for this condition. The Veteran's kidney condition (claimed as a kidney condition) is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to active duty service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected as the evidence does not show any relationship between his causes of death and his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, an eye disability, a kidney disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depressive disorder due to new and material evidence. The cases are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, right kidney tumor, and prostate cancer as the evidence did not show a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's death was caused by bilateral pneumonia, kidney failure, and multiorgan failure. The cause of death is under review to determine if it was related to service-connected conditions or other factors.,There are concerns that the Veteran’s in-service allergic reaction to a flu shot may have contributed to her death. This issue is also under review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to independently perform daily functions of self-care or unable to protect himself from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment, thus denying special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has decided that the remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran's kidney stones are related to his service or secondary to his service-connected IBS.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypercholesterolemia has been denied as it does not constitute a disability for VA benefits purposes.,New and material evidence having been received, the claims for hypertension and alcoholism have both been reopened. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depression and/or mood disorder), migraine headaches, and sleep apnea on secondary basis to service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's joint pain, coronary artery disease, diabetes, eye disorder, glaucoma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disorder (asthma), liver disorder, kidney disorder, erectile dysfunction, residuals of TBI, restless leg syndrome, GERD, and other issues have been remanded for further review.

The Board is unable to determine the cause of the right open radical nephrectomy and has requested clarification from the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, which had its onset during his active duty service, was a contributory cause of his death in July 2008. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, renal dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and a heart disorder as secondary to the Veteran's diabetes. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development, including a VA mental health examination and additional medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for an updated diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria.

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development, including a VA mental health examination and additional medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for an updated diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's inpatient hospital services at Munson Medical Center from May 9, 2015 through June 4, 2015 should be remanded for further development to determine if emergency treatment was necessary and whether the Veteran could have been transferred to a VA facility.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected as his conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's kidney stones are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted as there have been no frequent attacks of colic requiring catheter drainage.,The Veteran's urinary tract infections do not require long-term drug therapy or hospitalizations, so a compensable rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her unspecified bipolar and related disorder is granted, with the effective date being September 7, 2016. The Board also found that she has occupational and social impairment due to her psychiatric condition since September 7, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and chronic renal failure, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange. The Board also found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's chronic renal failure and service.

The Board has decided that the claims pending at the time of the Veteran's death need to be addressed again, including his service connection claim for renal disease and his claim to reopen service connection for obesity. The decision on these issues will impact the claims for accrued benefits and death pension.