Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected conditions or due to other causes. The issues include determining whether ischemic heart disease, COPD, hepatocellular carcinoma, hypertension, and acute renal failure are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lung cancer was present prior to spreading from his kidney and whether his renal cancer was causally connected to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bladder cancer and kidney cancer, both secondary to herbicide exposure during service. The claim for bladder cancer will be remanded for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether it is related to service, including presumed exposure to herbicides as a result of his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's cause of death was congestive heart failure. The Board finds that the Appellant’s accrued benefits claim is inextricably intertwined with the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death and thus, a remand is required to adjudicate both claims.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board has ordered a new medical opinion to determine if his conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for his salivary gland adenocarcinoma, left kidney hydronephrosis, ureteral stenosis, and lymph node adenocarcinoma as secondary to herbicide agent exposure due to a lack of VA examination and etiology opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for kidney removal and thyroid removal as secondary to herbicide exposure due to potential discrepancies in medical opinions and diagnoses.

The claims for service connection on accrued benefits purposes are being remanded due to the need for additional information and evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for malignant melanoma, coronary atherosclerosis (CAD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The primary disability, malignant melanoma, was determined to be unrelated to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's kidney conditions are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions due to the Veteran's death.

The claim to reopen the service connection for COD due to herbicide exposure is denied. The claim to reopen the service connection for COD under 38 C.F.R. § 1151 is remanded.

The Board has remanded multiple issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including arthritis, diabetes mellitus, degenerative disc disease, gall bladder removal, colon cancer, kidney disability, heart disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The cases are being referred back for further examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an examination, as new evidence suggests that VA treatment may have caused or aggravated the Veteran's end-stage renal disease.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. However, the case is remanded as an addendum opinion is needed regarding whether the service-connected prostatitis contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's prostate cancer and death.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI residuals but has remanded the issue of service connection for a renal disorder due to unclear nature and unresolved treatment records.

The Board has reopened the claim to establish service connection for cause of death due to new and material evidence submitted by the appellant. However, the appeal is remanded as further development is needed to determine the primary cause of death and whether any in-service exposure to herbicide agents contributed to the Veteran's death.

The claim for service connection for bladder cancer has been reopened, but denied. The Veteran's testimony suggests a possible link to in-service exposure to chemicals.,The claim for service connection for kidney disorder remains denied as there is no current evidence of disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, kidney condition, left shoulder disability, and depressive disorder associated with service-connected conditions due to new VA treatment records being added to the file. The SSOC must be issued after considering all relevant evidence.