Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded several issues related to his exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's sarcoidosis is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's kidney stones are found to be secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis medication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not produce total occupational impairment, and therefore he is not entitled to TDIU.

The Veteran's kidney condition is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's anemia and kidney disability are being remanded for further evaluation as the Board finds insufficient competent medical evidence to make a decision on these claims.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings for Major Depressive Disorder and Diabetes Mellitus Type II, as well as service connection for Peripheral Neuropathy of the Bilateral Upper Extremities and Chronic Kidney Disease. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to address evidence of edema related to chronic kidney disease, which could potentially affect the rating assigned.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no competent medical evidence of a diagnosed chronic disability resulting from the claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and carotid artery body tumor. The Veteran's conditions were not present during or immediately after his military service, and there was no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The issue of service connection for residuals of kidney cancer, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and/or asbestos, is remanded.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a disability for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that an additional medical opinion is needed to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected kidney stones contributed substantially or materially to his death, combined with other causes of death.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his kidney cancer is related to his exposure to herbicides in service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to March 14, 2017 were denied as the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence of a link between his disabilities and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune did not meet. ,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to March 14, 2017 were denied as the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence of a link between his disabilities and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune did not meet. ,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to March 14, 2017 were denied as the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence of a link between his disabilities and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune did not meet. ,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to March 14, 2017 were denied as the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence of a link between his disabilities and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune did not meet.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma of the kidney, status post left nephrectomy, was reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board found that his cancer is related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, granting the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, kidney condition, and heart condition have been granted. The Board found that the current presence of these conditions is related to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for a right shoulder disability, hypertension, asthma, major depressive disorder, diabetes mellitus, kidney and heart disabilities (secondary to hypertension), headaches, vertigo, and temporary total rating are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence or examinations.,The Veteran’s hypertension is being remanded as there is insufficient information regarding its onset and whether it is related to service-connected conditions. The examiner must also determine if her hypertension is aggravated by her service-connected right shoulder disability.,The Veteran's asthma is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether she had breathing problems during service that could have led to her current condition.,The Veteran’s major depressive disorder is being remanded as there is insufficient information regarding its onset and whether it is related to service-connected conditions. The examiner must also determine if her depression is aggravated by her service-connected right shoulder disability.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether she had sugar in her urine during service or if her condition is aggravated by her service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran’s kidney and heart disabilities (secondary to hypertension) are being remanded as there is insufficient information regarding their onset and relationship to her hypertension.,The Veteran's headaches and vertigo are being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether they are related to her cervical spine disability. The examiner must also determine if her conditions are aggravated by her service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran’s temporary total rating is being remanded as there is insufficient information regarding her need for convalescence following surgery.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's lung nodules and kidney stones are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an opinion on service connection.

The Veteran's death was caused by renal cancer and its metastases, but the evidence does not support a connection to service-connected conditions or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's death was due to the failure of his VA caregivers in managing his renal transplant, leading to a failure to diagnose and treat his worsening kidney condition. The Board found that this constituted a failure by the VA caregivers to exercise the degree of care expected from a reasonable health care provider.