Kidney disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's kidney cancer is service connected due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, and he meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence, as the additional evidence provided was cumulative or duplicative.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to any injury or disease incurred during his service, including exposure to asbestos or radiation.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a kidney disorder and rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine DJD due to lack of proper examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability of the feet, chronic liver disease, and chronic kidney disease. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation of coronary artery disease in excess of 60 percent prior to March 18, 2011, and 100 percent prior to June 18, 2014, is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for stage 3 chronic kidney disease as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses from July 7, 2015, through July 10, 2015, at South Georgia Medical Center are reimbursed as the treatment was for an emergency condition and a VA facility was not feasibly available.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for gall bladder disorder, bladder disorder, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disorder have not been reopened.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left and right knee disabilities, hypertension, kidney condition, impotence, brain tumor, umbilical hernia, and TDIU. The AOJ is instructed to complete necessary development such as obtaining retirement disability records from OPM, providing statutory and regulatory notice regarding entitlement to TDIU, and obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of erectile dysfunction and kidney conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, associated with diabetes mellitus. The case is remanded for further examination to determine if this condition is related to service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for a kidney disability, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition did not increase in severity during his active military service and was not aggravated by it.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions provided by the VA examiners. The issues include bilateral shoulder disability, right hand joint pain, bilateral elbow and knee pain, cervical spine disability, renal cell carcinoma, neuropathy of lower extremities, osteoarthritis of left hand ring finger, hypertension, hiatal hernia with GERD, atopic dermatitis, migraine headaches, and bilateral condylar flattening indicative of degenerative joint disease of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for gastrointestinal disability, hemorrhoids, nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), and prostatitis. The evidence did not establish a current diagnosis for any of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, otitis media of the left ear, cholera, tuberculosis, hypertension, dysentery, kidney disability, a disability manifested by blood occult in the urine, an acquired psychiatric disability (including general anxiety disorder), and PTSD. The reopening is based on new evidence suggesting Agent Orange exposure during service.

The Veteran's cause of death was sepsis, renal failure, and respiratory failure. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his service-connected disabilities or to his exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran died in 2012 due to sepsis, hepatic carcinoma, end stage liver disease, and hepatitis C. The Board found no service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected chronic adjustment disorder with depressed mood, migraine headaches, and kidney transplant with chronic membranous glomerulonephritis are being remanded due to the need for issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).,The Veteran is advised that a timely Substantive Appeal will be necessary to perfect his appeal on these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is required to determine if the Veteran's kidney disability is related to his service.

The Board has denied service connection for kidney disability, prostate disability, rheumatoid arthritis, memory loss, vision problems, and hypertension as there is no evidence of current disabilities.,Service treatment records show some medical issues during service but do not indicate any chronic conditions that would support a claim for these disabilities.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the appellant is not entitled to VA death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate.