Kidney disease decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of soft-tissue sarcoma and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma, which was diagnosed after service and is claimed as due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, is related to his military service. The Board finds that there is at least a 50% likelihood that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was caused by or otherwise related to his exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for benefits under 38 C.F.R. � 3.815 and 38 C.F.R. � 3.814 as she does not have a manifestation of spina bifida, which is required to qualify for these benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea, and for further development of the record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sickle cell disease, right eye glaucoma, right hip avascular necrosis, and renal disorder. The decision found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and new evidence needs to be obtained. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be reconsidered.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's memory loss disability is not attributable to service, including herbicide exposure. The Board finds no evidence of a current memory loss disability and the medical opinions are against this claim.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as new and material evidence has not been received. The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are secondary to his diabetes, but there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection for kidney cancer and its residuals was granted.,The Veteran's heart disorder and hypertension were not determined to be related to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claim for a total combined disability rating prior to January 9, 2007, and TDIU is denied as he was employed by the VA Regional Office in Houston, Texas until February 11, 2008.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The Board also finds that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II contributed substantially or materially to his death, thus granting service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions he attributes to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between his claimed conditions and his presumed exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for renal/kidney cancer and bladder cancer, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic cancer, is found to be service-connected as it was a result of his in-service exposure to Agent Orange and pre-existing renal cancer.

The Veteran's hypertension and stage 2 renal disease with hypertension have been granted increased ratings, but the specific conditions are not service-connected due to a direct relationship.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is not related to his in-service Agent Orange or diesel fume exposure, and therefore service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from Dr. S.L. or another provider regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and granted it, finding that there is at least as likely as not an etiological link between the Veteran's herbicide exposure during active service and his renal cell carcinoma.