Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.,The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, including somatic symptoms disorder, and whether it is related to service.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is granted service connection on a presumptive basis due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Service connection for his psychiatric disability (to include PTSD) and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for chronic kidney disease, right arm skin cancer, left arm skin cancer, left upper extremity numbness, left lower extremity numbness, and right lower extremity numbness due to their complexity. The Veteran is requested to provide an additional medical opinion from outside the Department based on his medical records.

The Board denied service connection for pancreatic cancer, a left kidney condition, and throat cancer as there is no indication that any of these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure events during service.

The Veteran's ventral hernia and hernial scar are not service-connected as they were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left kidney nephrectomy.,Right kidney failure is not service-connected as there is no evidence of the condition during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a kidney disorder are denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury, event or disease that could be linked to these conditions. The Board found the Veteran's assertions regarding herbicide exposure during service were not supported by medical evidence.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's stomach condition, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded.

The Board has denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for total disability for ten years prior to death or continuously since active duty and at least five years before death. The appeal is also remanded for further review of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of increased rating for right knee disability, service connection for depression, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disability, and hypertension. The Veteran is also required to provide updated information regarding his entitlement to TDIU.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is granted. Service connection for thyroid, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic renal disease, erectile dysfunction, vertigo, and chronic fatigue syndrome are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for end stage renal disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected reflux esophagitis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted service connection. The appeals for other conditions are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's cause of death is now considered service-connected, effective from November 2, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service, specifically exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for Burkitt’s lymphoma of bone marrow and its secondary effects on the Veteran's lower extremities. The issues of branch retinal vein occlusion left eye, chronic kidney disease, and secondary hyperparathyroidism are remanded.,Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities as secondary to service-connected Burkitt’s lymphoma.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for service connection for neck disability, left kidney removal, and right knee disability were denied as no new and material evidence was received.,The request to reopen a claim for service connection for left knee disability was granted due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's B-cell lymphoma is granted service connection. The Board also remanded for further examination and opinion regarding other diagnosed conditions, including kidney disability, benign growth behind organs, small intestine disability, spots on the pancreas, hypertension, autoimmune disorder, and jaundice.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right renal hematuria, Parkinson’s disease, and a skin condition due to new evidence being submitted after previous denials. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if he has these conditions and their relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and a kidney condition as secondary to prostate cancer are all granted due to herbicide agent exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for involuntary back muscle spasms, kidney disability (including kidney disease), memory loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) due to service at Camp Lejeune. The July 2013 VA medical opinion is inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's prior medical history and examinations or address his full contentions regarding the relationship of his disabilities to contaminants in the water supply during service.