Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for chronic kidney disease as secondary to hypertension, but denied a compensable rating for hypertension and remanded the issues of gastroesophageal reflux disease, Graves' disease, low back disorder (secondary to kidney disease), nocturia, and hypertensive heart disease.

The Board has stayed adjudication of all cases affected by the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, including this case.,Service connection is denied for erectile dysfunction, depression, bilateral sinus condition, upper and lower teeth problem, bilateral CTS, stomach condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral lung condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. However, his kidney disability claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a kidney disability.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and new VA examinations to assess the current nature and severity of his renal dysfunction and peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development and medical opinions regarding service connection for various disabilities due to ionizing radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right wrist condition (gout), polycystic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for adult polycystic kidney disease and hypertension, as secondary to PTSD and/or a polycystic kidney disease due to inadequate VA examinations in May 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for earlier effective dates for kidney cancer, lung cancer, scar as a residual of nephrectomy, SMC based on housebound criteria being met, and DEA eligibility due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of frostbite of both lower extremities, chronic fatigue syndrome, and thyroid cancer due to in-service herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection is not granted for left shoulder disability or right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of service connection for status post operative recurrent lipoma in the right groin, claimed as growth in the groin and pain in the groin, is denied.,The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of service connection for urinary and bladder condition (also claimed as kidney infections), secondary to AL Amyloidosis, is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including kidney condition, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy of both eyes (claimed as blurry vision), erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and C-6 radiculopathy of the upper extremities. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease of the right lower extremity, and thyroid disability. The Veteran's hypertension was not found to be related to service or herbicide exposure.,Service connection was also denied for peripheral vascular disease of the right lower extremity as it is not considered a recognized chronic disease.

The Veteran's renal cancer is related to service exposure to Agent Orange, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease (CKD) as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The evidence is at least in equipoise that CKD is caused by or related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for a hearing or conference, and no specific service connection decisions have been made.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be service-connected, with the claim reopened and granted.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's in-service high blood pressure and his current adrenal gland tumor for service connection purposes.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of chronic renal failure with congestive heart failure and ascites, as secondary to a pending psychiatric disorder claim. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed prostate disorders, including chronic prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN).

The Veteran's service connection claims for psychiatric disorder, kidneys with cysts, and neurological disease have been granted. The case is remanded to obtain clarification on the diagnoses related to the Veteran’s kidneys and to clarify whether he has Parkinson’s disease.