Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Board has decided that the Veteran's kidney cancer may be related to his service in Vietnam, but needs further examination and evidence to make a determination.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims for hypertension, lumbar spine disability, liver condition, digestive system condition (Barrett's esophagus), hepatitis C, and renal condition. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for a psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to revise the September 2009 rating decision to reflect the grant of service connection for retroperitoneal fibrosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, arteriosclerosis, bilateral ureteral obstruction, hypertension, hypoperfusion, and pilonidal cyst.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and a kidney disorder due to inadequate VA medical opinions and missing private treatment records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection for a renal disorder and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and chronic kidney/renal disease due to herbicide exposure as there is insufficient competent medical evidence to make a decision. A medical opinion from an independent expert at a medical school, university, or clinic is required.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and service connection for kidney cancer, specifically whether in-service herbicide exposure contributed to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee disorder, low back disorder, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and skin disorder due to concerns about the adequacy of the medical opinions provided. The VA is instructed to obtain a new opinion from a clinician regarding whether these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hand disability, right hip arthritis, and left foot disability. The decision also remanded several issues for further development.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim of service connection for a lung condition is granted, and the appeal is allowed to this extent only. An initial rating of 70 percent since February 24, 2010, for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's claims for kidney stone, erectile dysfunction, type II diabetes mellitus, primary open angle glaucoma and cataract of the right eye (claimed as bilateral blindness), peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability for any of these conditions during or shortly after service.,The Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of records and a need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death.

The Board has granted a second clothing allowance for calendar year 2016 for the use of topical creams used to treat service-connected burns on the right and left arms and hands, finding that the cocoa butter cream causes an increased rate of damage to outer garments compared to a back brace.

The appeals regarding service connection for kidney disease, hypertension, entitlement to TDIU, and specially adapted housing have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for metastatic renal cell cancer due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. The hypertension issue is remanded as there is no opinion on its etiology.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various conditions due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Board has denied service connection for kidney failure due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The respiratory disorder claim is remanded as there is insufficient information on whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents or asbestos during his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease (claimed as kidney failure) associated with exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for renal/kidney disability and hypertension need to be remanded due to incomplete medical opinions, lack of relevant records, and the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cancer of the testicle and kidney due to insufficient medical evidence, requiring a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to military service.