Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death due to lack of confirmed herbicide exposure during active service. The Veteran died from kidney failure, but there was no evidence of Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam or Korea.

The claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death has been reopened, but it is denied as there is no evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to his military service. The claim for VA death pension benefits was also denied due to the appellant's income exceeding the Maximum Annual Pension Rate.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic renal failure are all granted service connection. The claims for discoid lupus and degenerative joint disease with levoconvex scoliosis of the lumbar spine have been reopened due to new evidence. These issues are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for varicocele and epididymitis, as well as renal cell carcinoma, finding no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and active service.

The Veteran's renal cancer and the cause of his death are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed. The Board found no current disability related to the issues, with some conditions being part of a pre-existing condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including hypertension, renal disability, back disability, ischemic heart disease, liver disability, bilateral foot disability, and neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities. The issues have been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for coronary artery calcifications and a urogenital kidney disability, so the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient development regarding exposure to mustard gas, ionizing radiation, and herbicide agents at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The RO must request verification from the U.S. Army Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC).

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence, and the Veteran's claims for service connection remain pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sickle cell disease, glaucoma of the right eye, avascular necrosis of the right hip, and renal disorder due to conflicting evidence regarding their onset during active service.

The Veteran's genitourinary disorder, diagnosed as urinary incontinence, is related to his service-connected PTSD. The Board finds that the Veteran has a kidney disorder (claimed as kidney cysts) and bladder cysts that are secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia Disorder (also claimed as psychosis), Depression, Hypertension, and a Renal Disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disorder and cardiovascular renal disorder due to insufficient evidence. Additional development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing medical records from the Veteran's last illness at Florida Hospital Flagler, which could provide important information about his cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gout, kidney condition (adrenal adenoma), obstructive sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus have been denied. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's kidney disability, originally claimed as renal toxicity, is denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking it to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death due to hypertension, which was found to have contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death. The Veteran had elevated blood pressure readings during his military service and a diagnosis of hypertension before his death.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his fatal kidney cancer is related to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service. The DIC and burial benefits claims are also remanded as there has not been a statement of the case issued.