Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer and headaches associated with TBI were denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for headaches was set at September 27, 2011, which is when service connection for TBI was granted. The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is also pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical records and the need for further opinions. The Veteran seeks compensation for kidney disability and diabetes mellitus resulting from VA treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus, contributed to his encephalopathy which caused his death. As a result, the appeal for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's kidney disorder may be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and stable angina, but more information is needed for a definitive decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the claims for service connection for residuals of a kidney contusion, TDIU, and SMC.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete records and conflicting medical opinions. The cases are being returned for further development, including obtaining SSA records, VA treatment records, and additional examinations.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to septic shock, end-stage renal disease, and diabetes mellitus. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure basis (such as Agent Orange). Service connection for the cause of death was denied.

The Veteran's claims have been remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, particularly regarding his service connection requests. The issues include service connection for various disabilities including hepatitis C, heart, kidney, lung, back, and psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to renal failure and hyperkalemia, attributing it to post-operative coronary bypass and aneurysm repair. The claim was not reopened as new and material evidence did not relate the death to any disease or injury in service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding her exposure to herbicide agents during her time at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The VA will conduct further development to assess her claimed exposures and determine if they are sufficient to establish presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, renal failure, and migraine headaches. The evidence did not establish an in-service event or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's cause of death is deemed service-connected due to his uncontrolled diabetes mellitus type II, which contributed to renal failure listed on his death certificate. The Board found presumptive exposure to herbicide agents while in service near the DMZ.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and kidney disability have been reopened, but both conditions are denied as there is no current disability.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining audiometric test results and determining whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service.,The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is also being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including type II diabetes mellitus and psychiatric disorders, were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service or exposure to environmental toxins at Fort McClellan, Alabama.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA opinion regarding whether any of the conditions causing or contributing to the Veteran's death were related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has remanded the claims for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and hypertension disabilities. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right kidney cancer due to herbicide agent exposure was previously denied and not reopened.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or exposure to ionizing radiation. The preponderance of evidence does not support the claim.

The veteran's spouse is not eligible for nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum allowable limit.