Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to additional evidence being added to the file and potential exposure in Vietnam. The Veteran is asked to provide any missing records or authorization.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bladder and kidney cancer as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation due to procedural errors in developing the record, including failing to fully comply with the procedures outlined in 38 C.F.R. § 3.311.

The Veteran's hypertension, blood clots, aneurysm with stroke, seizure disorder, memory impairment, depressive disorder, sleep disorder, nerve pain, kidney disorder, and anemia are not service-connected.,Tinnitus was also denied as service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for nephrosclerosis with chronic renal disease was reopened, but the claim remains denied. The Veteran's heart disability is currently rated at 60 percent and a higher rating or TDIU are not granted. A TDIU is granted from April 18, 2016 to February 2, 2018.

The Veteran's death was caused by hepatocellular carcinoma, with other significant conditions including hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and portal hypertension. The claim is remanded to determine if the Veteran served in Thailand or Vietnam and whether his service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Veteran's high cholesterol, acquired psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression), astigmatism and refractive error of the eyes, frequent urination, crescentic IgA nephropathy with congenital left atrophic kidney condition, right knee disability, left ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, and acid reflux are all denied as service connection. The Veteran's character of discharge for his period of active service from March 2007 to April 2012 is a bar to VA benefits.,The Veteran was not diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder or multiple personality disorder during his military service.

The Veteran's left radical nephrectomy is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of his renal cell carcinoma.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Diabetes Mellitus Type II, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension have been granted. The claim for hypertension is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney cancer, finding that they are inextricably intertwined with his other pending claims. The claims will be further developed to address the etiology and date of onset of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple myeloma, hypertension, acute renal failure, and diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection is being remanded for further development on the following issues: lumbar spine condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, right foot condition, left foot condition, right hand condition, and left hand condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to their inextricability with his petition to reopen a claim for service connection for Crohn’s disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for epidermal cysts on the back, tumor of the lumbosacral spine region, low back disorder including degenerative disc disease, and kidney disease due to Agent Orange exposure. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is considered to be a result of his service-connected non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and hypertension are granted service connection due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. However, his hypertension is denied as it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and verifying PTSD stressors. The VA will also schedule examinations to assess the current severity of his thoracolumbar spine disability and other claimed conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent, effective October 12, 2012. A TDIU is also granted from that date. The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for renal cell carcinoma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, finding that there is no evidence of a causal relationship between the conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for kidney disorder, PTSD, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right lower leg scar.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, coronary artery disease, bilateral nephropathy (claimed as kidney disease), and neuropathies in the upper and lower extremities have all been denied.,Service connection was not established for any of these conditions due to a lack of medical evidence linking them to service.

Service connection is granted for kidney cancer and colon disability, both related to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran's hearing loss and hypertension are remanded for further evaluation.