Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of renal cell carcinoma, adrenal gland nodule, and thyroid condition. Service connection was granted for hairy cell leukemia and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board finds that the Veteran's renal failure and acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's kidney stones are denied as they did not begin during service and there is no evidence linking them to service.,Service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, secondary to the right foot disability, is also denied. The Board found that the current disability does not meet the criteria for service connection.,An increased rating in excess of 10 percent for right metatarsalgia post fracture of the 3rd metatarsal (right foot condition) is denied. The Veteran's claim was also denied for an earlier effective date prior to June 12, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, kidney disease, and heart disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The appellant's DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied as the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling at any point after his separation from service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as there is no case or controversy before it.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney condition, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disability and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion from a specialist in nephrology regarding the etiology of the renal mass diagnosis and subsequent nephrectomy, as well as the splenectomy. The opinions should address the Veteran's lay statements, the January 2008 diagnostic testing, and the August 2009 operative report.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to issues related to his participation in Project SHAD, including exposure to bacillus globigii (BG), betapropiolactone (BPL), and zinc cadmium sulfide. The claims include lung disability, kidney cysts, skin disability, cervical spine disability, low back disability, gastrointestinal disability, and headaches.

The Board has vacated the July 25, 2019 decision denying service connection for a kidney condition due to incomplete consideration of new evidence. The case is now remanded for further development and an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney condition is proximately due to his service-connected hypertension and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions, including kidney condition, GERD, thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus type II, nicotine dependency, hepatitis C and its residuals, peripheral artery disease, opioid dependency, hypertension (also claimed as high blood pressure), chronic back condition as secondary to multiple myeloma, COPD, multiple myeloma, coronary artery disease (CAD), erectile dysfunction, and chronic anemia. The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of residuals of lung cancer, prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, kidney cancer, colon cancer, or monoclonal gammopathy. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board denied service connection for a parathyroid disability, kidney disability, and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and bilateral knees. The Veteran's parathyroid disability is not related to his service or asbestos exposure.,The Veteran’s kidney disability was also not found to be related to his service or asbestos exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature of treatment received in Germany for kidney stones and the relationship between that treatment and current disability. A VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence linking his death to in-service events or exposures.

The Veteran's gout was initially manifested during active service and is granted. The issues of service connection for hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, right kidney disability, gall bladder disability, colon disability, respiratory disability, tonsil disability, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability. The kidney disorder claim is remanded for further examination and opinion. Service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer and hypertension due to potential links with herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam, as well as possible secondary effects of his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran died from a cardiorespiratory condition and was not receiving VA compensation or pension at the time of his death. Therefore, he did not meet the criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, and a VA addendum opinion is needed regarding whether the kidney disability is proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus.