Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about VA's duty to obtain a letter from CURR/JSRRC regarding herbicide exposure in Korea. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including hypertension and prostate disorder, which he claims are related to his alleged exposure to herbicides during active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gastrointestinal disability (including colon cancer), kidney disability (including kidney failure), and diabetes. The evidence did not establish an in-service event or incident that caused these conditions.,The Board found insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for his claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for renal disease as secondary to diabetes. The Veteran's kidney disease is believed to have been aggravated by his pre-existing diabetes.

The Veteran's death is attributed to his service-connected exposure to mustard gas, which compromised his immune system and contributed to the development of cancer that ultimately caused his death. The Board finds in favor of granting service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's renal cell cancer with lung metastasis is not related to his toxic herbicide exposure during service, and the Board finds that there is no evidence of a direct relationship between the condition and active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for schizoaffective disorder and chronic kidney disease. The claims are not about exposure to specific environmental factors or the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for osteoarthritis, heart disability, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cerebral vascular accident, and dementia due to inextricably intertwined issues. The cause of death claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, kidney disability, and hypertension. The denial was based on a lack of evidence connecting these conditions to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, chronic kidney failure, COPD, and PTSD, to include as secondary to exposure to certain herbicide agents. The Veteran's service in Vietnam is being verified, and a VA examination will be scheduled if his presence during the applicable time period and location is confirmed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions and granted a 70% rating for PTSD with TBI effective from November 24, 2014. The issues related to left knee ACL tear, right ankle disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, mitral valve regurgitation, kidney problems, and headaches were dismissed.

The Veteran's left eye condition and bilateral kidney disability are not service-connected.,However, the Veteran's skin cancer is now considered service-connected.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as kidney disease and hypertension. The appellant contends that these conditions were due to exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. However, the VA has not found service connection based on presumptive exposure to herbicides for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition aggravated his hypertension and contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of information verifying the Veteran's location during his Vietnam-era service. The Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam, but there is no evidence confirming this.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung problems, hypertension, acid reflux, and kidney cancer are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease and no exposure to herbicide agents or ionizing radiation. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for heart failure and renal failure have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for kidney disabilities, including nephrosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. The Veteran's disability is not related to herbicide agent exposure or his service-connected residuals of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death, respiratory failure due to metastatic cancer of the lungs, is determined to be related to his asbestos exposure during military service. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.