Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed disorders and their relationship to in-service exposures.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of all issues on appeal, including service connection claims for various conditions and disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disability, chronic kidney disease, hydronephrosis as a residual of UPJ obstruction, and aseptic meningitis. The Veteran's contentions were not supported by new and material evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and kidney cancer due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal for high cholesterol and hepatitis C was granted. The cases of digestive problems, stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver with weight loss (related to hepatitis C), heart disease, hypertension, fatigue, renal complications, and chronic depression are remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, a right shoulder disorder, a chronic kidney disorder, and a back disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim for a kidney disorder due to insufficient examination opinions and lack of relevant medical records. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including medications, may have aggravated his kidney disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tachycardia, fistulas, migraine headaches, and adrenal insufficiency as secondary to service-connected PTSD due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 40 percent rating for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) is granted, effective May 1, 2018. The appeals for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy service connection and other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, a skin condition, hypertension, renal cell cancer and pancreatic cysts has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer was reopened and granted. The claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and a throat condition were remanded.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is dismissed. The appeals for increased disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left-wrist disorder, service connection for left-hand numbness (to include carpal tunnel syndrome), service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, service connection for kidney disorder, to include as secondary to medications prescribed for hypertension and/or an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD are all remanded.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including kidney cancer and spinal cancer, are remanded due to the need for additional medical records.,A decision on the issue of entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of both feet is inextricably intertwined with a decision on the issue of entitlement to service connection for paralysis from the chest down.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his substantive appeal for service connection for polycystic kidney disease/renal failure was not timely filed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disorder, and kidney disorder have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors leading to current mental health issues or a link between any diagnosed condition and military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for renal failure and hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at MWMC from May 27, 2017 through May 30, 2017 are granted as the evidence supports that he required continued non-emergency treatment due to a continued medical emergency.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his bladder, prostate, kidney, and erectile dysfunction disabilities. The VA is instructed to obtain medical records, verify the Veteran's periods of service, and schedule examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.