Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, headache disability, and kidney condition. The evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions began during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's military service.

Service connection for skin cancer (melanoma) and renal cancer is granted.,The appeal regarding a gall bladder disability resulting in cholecystectomy remains pending due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for kidney cancer, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam is related to his development of kidney cancer.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer and prostate cancer, but denied both conditions as not related to military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted as it is at least as likely as not that the condition began in service and has persisted since.,The Veteran's kidney cancer claim is denied because there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service, nor any indication that the condition manifested within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded due to the possibility of delayed onset tinnitus and insufficient rationale for the November 2016 VA examiner’s opinion.,The Veteran's left knee disability claim is remanded as there are no medical opinions regarding a nexus between in-service complaints and current disabilities.,The Veteran's right knee disability claim is remanded due to lack of medical evidence addressing the relationship between service and current knee conditions.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia claim is remanded because there is insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, and ischemic heart disease claims are both remanded as exposure to herbicide agents in service must be verified before a determination can be made on these claims.,The Veteran's respiratory disability claim is remanded due to the possibility of secondary service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection due to potential herbicide exposure, as well as other issues.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relation to service.,The Veteran's hepatitis C is remanded as the VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale for their opinion.,The Veteran's kidney disability, related to hepatitis C, is remanded due to an inaccurate factual premise in the previous opinion.,The Veteran's right hip disability is remanded because the VA examiner did not address whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.,The effective date for a 10 percent evaluation of the Veteran's right knee disability is remanded due to inadequate examination results.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's hypertension and kidney condition may be related to his service-connected orthopedic disabilities, but more information is needed from VA medical experts.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, kidney disease, and anemia (secondary to kidney disease) due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is presumed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a kidney condition and asthma, finding that there is no current diagnosis for either condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's prostate cancer disability.

The Board granted service connection for a right hand disability manifested by pain and functional impairment, finding it proximately due to the Veteran's in-service right little finger fracture. The rating for nephrolithiasis was denied as there were no criteria met for a higher rating based on renal dysfunction or recurrent stone formation requiring diet and drug therapy.

The application to reopen the claims of service connection for kidney disease and psychiatric disorder is denied. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not necessitate the need for aid and attendance, as he is able to perform most of his daily activities independently.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death, pancreatic cancer, is related to his service-connected kidney cancer. The examiner was asked to consider a potential link between pancreatic and renal cancers based on submitted medical literature.

The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disability (bronchitis) and denied service connection for kidney stones. The Veteran's respiratory disability is considered to have begun during active service, while his kidney stones are not linked to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete documentation and the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, migraines, insomnia, chest pain, right foot pain, left foot pain, heart condition, and whooping cough due to insufficient evidence.,VA is required to provide a medical examination when necessary to decide a claim.

The Board dismissed the appeal as it is moot due to the appellant's death, and no new evidence was provided to reopen the claim.