Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and the relationship between his cause of death, renal cancer, and military service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, liver condition, vision condition, and acquired psychiatric condition as the evidence did not support a causal link to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to conflicting opinions on the relationship between his metastatic kidney cancer and service, including Agent Orange exposure. The issue of whether a primary lung cancer at the time of death was a significant contributing factor to his death remains unresolved.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and loss of left kidney are not service-connected, as the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to his service-connected coronary artery disease. The CAD issue is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a kidney disability, status-post transplant. However, the issue of service connection for hypertension remains pending and requires additional development.

The Board has determined that new evidence, including service department records obtained after the June 2006 rating decision, should be considered in deciding the veteran's accrued benefits claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, end stage renal failure, congestive heart failure, and anoxic encephalopathy.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for renal cell carcinoma is being remanded due to an error in transferring the case from VBA to the Board.

The Veteran's blurred vision is not related to service, and his heart disorder, enlarged heart, was not shown in service. His sickle cell anemia, kidney disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder with neurobehavioral effects, transient ischemic attacks, headache disorder, heat exhaustion, chronic pain, leukemia, and bladder disorder are not presumed or otherwise linked to service.,The Veteran's current conditions do not meet the criteria for service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's asthma. The issues of service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD), chronic kidney disease with renal insufficiency (CKD), and asthma are being returned to the Board for further consideration.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted service connection, while his bilateral kidney cysts are denied.

The Board has denied service connection for lung cancer, brain cancer, liver cancer, sinus cancer, pelvis cancer, and kidney cancer as the Veteran did not have a primary cancer of these organs. The claim for kidney cancer is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is granted as due to exposure to contaminants in the Camp Lejeune water supply during his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, prostate disorder, kidney disorder, and diabetes mellitus, type II have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his requests prior to a decision.,The Veteran's right knee disability claim has been remanded due to insufficient evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal insufficiency, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his kidney condition and his service-connected Osgood-Schlatter’s disease or any other in-service event.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal insufficiency, finding that it is not related to his service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left kidney adenocarcinoma, finding that it is not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease, including herbicide agent exposure.

The appeal is remanded due to the inextricability of the accrued benefits claim and the need for further adjudication on both claims.

The Board has determined that additional service medical records are needed to support the Veteran's claims for various conditions. The case is being remanded to obtain these records.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic renal cell carcinoma, finding that it was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left sacroiliac strain. The evidence did not support a link between herbicide exposure and kidney cancer.