Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's kidney cancer with partial nephrectomy is found to be at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, leading to the grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and chronic kidney disease (including diabetic nephropathy) due to herbicide exposure during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for a kidney disability, to include as due to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune, and for a heart attack secondary to kidney surgery and loss of kidney. The Veteran's kidney disability was not related to service or any event, injury, or disease during service. The heart attack was not found to be proximately due to or the result of his kidney disability.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and hypertension, but granted service connection for kidney cancer. The Veteran's IBS and Crohn’s disease were partially granted with a staged rating prior to September 10, 2019, and the issue was remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his fatal illnesses, including acute myocardial infarction, CAD, congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer due to exposure to herbicides and/or diesel fuel. The case is sent back for an independent medical opinion from an oncologist.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, a nervous condition previously claimed as a psychiatric disorder, and a kidney condition have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The effective date for service connection for migraine headaches has not yet been determined.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The claims for service connection for kidney cancer, loss of kidney, and diabetes type II are denied as there is no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a relationship between any of these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to acute renal failure, cardiorespiratory arrest, and coronary atherosclerotic disease as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his time in active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to September 22, 2010 did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions as they are not related to active military service.

The Board has ordered remand for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, hemolytic anemia, and renal failure. The examiner must address whether these conditions are related to in-service exposure to a virus.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water and/or secondary to service-connected prostate cancer. The issues are remanded for further development, including obtaining new medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's kidney stones and chronic kidney disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for kidney disease, hypertension, and peripheral and median neuropathy of the upper right and left extremities due to outstanding VA treatment records. The RO is instructed to obtain these records and provide a formal finding if they do not exist.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's kidney stones are related to his service or service-connected diabetes mellitus II. Additional opinions are needed on whether the Veteran developed kidney stones during active duty, if they are due to hypertension or combined effects of hypertension and diabetes, and if they were aggravated by these conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic kidney disease and hypertension are granted as both conditions are found to be caused by his service-connected smoldering multiple myeloma.