Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from February 4, 2015 to February 18, 2015 was granted as the treatment provided during this period was in response to a medical emergency.,The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from February 19, 2015 to August 17, 2015 was denied because the care provided did not meet the criteria for an emergency situation.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to any disease, injury or event in service. Service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and requests for updated treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to lack of in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's claims were not granted as his conditions are considered direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but denied for peripheral artery disease in the right lower extremity, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy in the right upper and left upper extremities, kidney disorder (chronic kidney disease), and bilateral cataracts.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that pancreatic cancer was not related to his service-connected kidney cancer and did not stem from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board is unable to make a decision on the service connection claims for hypertension, kidney failure, and blackouts due to lack of an opinion regarding their relationship to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran's records may be incomplete and further examination is needed.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability has been granted. Her claims for right knee, COPD, heart arrhythmia, and kidney conditions are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for multicystic renal cell carcinoma, including as due to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's claim was remanded and the VHA opinion found that his condition did not manifest during or within one year after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney infection, finding that there is no current disability and the in-service kidney infection resolved after hospitalization.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney disease due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, as well as secondary to a service-connected disability. The decision is pending further development.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those for service connection and evaluations related to various conditions. The Veteran's VA treatment records from specific time periods are requested, as well as a medical examination to assess the nature and etiology of chronic kidney disease and PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sarcoidosis, cervical spine disorder, and various other conditions have been reopened. The Board finds that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the cause of death and whether service connection should be granted. The Veteran's cause of death was identified as acute severe pancreatitis, renal failure, and sepsis. The Board will seek a medical opinion on these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's polycystic kidney disease had its onset during his active duty service and is related to such service, granting service connection for PCKD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney and adrenal gland disability, secondary to an allergic reaction to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs due to lack of evidence of current disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal failure, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his condition and his military service or any other conditions.

The Veteran's death was not due to any negligence or service-connected disability, but rather a complication of his hernia. The nerve damage and renal failure were not caused by VA medical treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions alone did not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment prior to September 11, 2012.