Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for renal cell carcinoma and chronic kidney disease due to in-service herbicide exposure. The remaining claims, including those related to low back disorder, right eye disorder, left eye disorder, and a disorder manifested by chronic fatigue, are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, kidney cancer, sleep apnea, hypertension, and adrenal gland condition. The appeals were based on direct evidence and not on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and kidney disability, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's left foot disability. The effective date for the 30 percent rating for the left foot disability was also denied.,There is no evidence showing an ascertainable increase in severity of the left foot disability within one year prior to the February 12, 2013 claim.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is related to his service exposure to Agent Orange, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the current evidence is insufficient to decide the claims for service connection for hypertension, gastro-intestinal bleeding and residuals from an endosonography, liver condition, and kidney condition. Therefore, VA medical examinations are required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for chronic kidney infection, diabetes mellitus, type II, and seizure disorder as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II need further development due to incomplete medical records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but has remanded all other issues due to lack of evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's kidney disorder and headaches were denied service connection. The claim for hypertension was not reopened, but the rating for Achilles tendon rupture with tendonitis in the left ankle was reduced from 30% to 10%, which was then restored.

The appeals of the Veteran's claims have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, amputations of toes, glaucoma, and cardiovascular issues, were denied as there was no evidence to support the assertions that these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are remanded due to inadequate examinations and missing medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination regarding the Veteran's kidney disease and its relationship to his service-connected knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and left kidney disease requiring removal, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities require personal health-care services provided on a daily basis in his home by a licensed professional, or under the regular supervision of such a professional. The remand also includes obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from the neurologist.

The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA medical expenses is denied as the preponderance of evidence shows that he was stable and could have been transferred to a VA facility, but refused.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, bladder and kidney disabilities, PTSD, and hypertension. The appeals are all denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to additional development being required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gout and pseudogout, asthma, sleep apnea, kidney condition, skin cancer, and heart condition, all of which are alleged to be due to exposure to herbicides in service.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is dismissed. The issues of service connection for tachycardia, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder disability and remanded the claims for heart condition, carotid artery condition, kidney condition, bladder condition, pelvic disability, right buttock disability, and neck disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.