Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service, which may be relevant to his cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Thailand. The left kidney disability claim is remanded as the etiology needs further examination.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for kidney failure was dismissed because the Veteran passed away before a decision could be made.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, including a review of his service records and medical research submitted by the appellant. The issue will be readjudicated based on all evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bladder cancer and kidney cancer have been dismissed.,Service connection for prostate cancer has also been dismissed as the appeal is not about service connection at all, but rather a claim of entitlement to compensation based on exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidence and a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected residuals of subtotal gastrectomy was a principal or contributory cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete or missing information.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic renal disease due to his request to withdraw the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability and kidney stones, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a supplemental VA examination that also considers a theory of entitlement of direct service connection. The Veteran is seeking an effective date prior to March 14, 2017 for service connection for his kidney cancer.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for liver, kidney, and bladder disabilities due to lack of a VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of kidney stones was denied. The rating reduction from 60 percent to 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability status post fusion with instrumentation was restored, and the claim for hypertension with nephrosclerosis remains denied.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology.,The Veteran's lumbar strain and left knee strain are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical services received at Jersey Shore Hospital on June 17, 2015 was timely filed. The case is now remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction to decide the underlying merits of the claim.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 10, 2012 for the grant of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance due to the Veteran's need for regular assistance with his daily dialysis procedure.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disorder as the conditions did not manifest during active duty or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, chronic kidney disease, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and retinopathy is being remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The claims will be reviewed again with a focus on the periods of active duty or ACDUTRA military service from December 1975 to April 1976.

The Board has vacated the March 29, 2019 decision and remanded several issues for further development. The Veteran's death preceded the March 29, 2019 decision, so jurisdiction was lacking at that time. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, eye disability, hypertension, kidney disease, and right arm and hand tingling are being remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis.