Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes, lung disorder, chronic kidney disease, actinic keratosis, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, sleep apnea, and hepatitis C are all denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issues include thyroid disorder, hypertension, skin disorder, and kidney cancer, all potentially related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.,VA burial benefits based on a nonservice-connected death are granted, but the issue of whether higher benefits based on a service-connected death should be awarded is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cystic disease of the kidneys, stage IV is denied as there is no evidence that it had its onset in active service or within one year of active service. The Board also found that hypertension was not service-connected and therefore secondary service connection for kidney disease is not warranted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1815 and § 1805 as she does not meet the legal criteria to qualify for benefits due to her father's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for hypertension and kidney failure due to inadequate opinions in a previous VA examination. The Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service, but the exact nature of the relationship needs further clarification. For kidney failure, the examiner should determine if it began during service or is caused by hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for ureteral cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents during active service. Service connection for kidney cancer is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a bruised kidney with hematuria, irritable bowel syndrome, and left knee condition.,There is no evidence that the Veteran has any current disabilities related to her in-service injuries or conditions.

The Veteran's death was attributed to cardiac arrest, with underlying causes being end-stage renal disease and coronary artery disease. The Appellant seeks service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty service in Vietnam. Additionally, she claims DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318. She also seeks service connection for thyroid cancer for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and kidney stones due to insufficient examination reports. The Veteran's IBS is being reviewed again, including consideration of private medical opinions, while the claim for kidney stones requires an addendum addressing the relationship between IBS and kidney stones.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bladder cancer, kidney condition, and prostate condition due to presumed herbicide agent exposure during active duty in Vietnam.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions as the Veteran passed away during the appeal process.

The appeal is denied as the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions were not timely filed, and the issues are dismissed or denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 8, 2017 for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The Veteran also had his initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy denied. However, he was granted a TDIU effective from August 8, 2017.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's BPH, kidney cancer, or any other conditions are related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that his death was caused by renal cell carcinoma, which is not presumed to be related to herbicide exposure. The primary causes of death were dementia and pneumonia.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is being remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient opinions in the existing records regarding its relationship to his service-connected hypertension and potential impact of cocaine use.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression was reopened and granted. The effective date is July 16, 2013.,Service connection for tinnitus was denied. The Veteran did not submit evidence demonstrating current tinnitus.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic renal failure, headaches, left knee joint osteoarthritis, right knee scars, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The AOJ must obtain any outstanding records from SSA and private providers, as well as VA treatment records. A new VA examination is also required for each of these conditions to ensure an accurate assessment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate disorder, kidney disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to service connection issues. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiologies of these conditions.