Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support the appellant's assertion of exposure to Agent Orange and thus no service connection could be established.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and renal failure with diabetic nephropathy to the RO for further development due to a lack of adequate discussion in the August 2017 decision.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is granted service connection due to presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune. Lung cancer, which metastasized from the kidney cancer, is also granted as secondary.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic kidney disease and myasthenia gravis are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to chemicals and/or nonionizing radiation during his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, kidney disease, and circumcision residuals due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information regarding possible exposure to herbicide agents and to secure a medical opinion on the nature and etiology of her service-connected conditions, including vascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), congestive heart failure (CHF), pulmonary hypertension, arteriosclerotic vascular disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), renal disease and/or failure, and hemosiderosis of the liver.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination regarding hypertension, renal failure, and depression.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing whether it is secondary to a service-connected disability, specifically PTSD with major depressive disorder.,Service connection for a kidney disability and rheumatoid arthritis are both remanded as there was no opinion on whether these conditions were related to in-service herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis remains pending due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing its relationship to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spine, headaches, sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, bronchiectasis, kidney cyst, and erectile dysfunction. The reasons include the need for additional VA examinations to address the etiology of these conditions in light of the Veteran's service in Southwest Asia and exposure to burn pits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disorder and heart condition due to herbicide exposure, as they are presumed conditions under the Agent Orange Act. The case will be further examined by medical experts.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for chronic kidney disease status post left nephrectomy for kidney cancer is denied. The effective date cannot be earlier than March 14, 2017, when VA amended its regulations to include bladder cancer as a disability presumptively associated with contaminants present in the water supply at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for venous insufficiency, fatigue in the legs, an enlarged testicle, and soft tissue sarcoma have been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus (secondary to herbicide exposure), erectile dysfunction (as secondary to prostate cancer), peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, thyroid disorder, tremors, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, gout, and kidney disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to concerns regarding the adequacy of VA medical opinions and the need for further consideration of certain exposures.

The Veteran's PTSD, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and renal failure have been granted service connection. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU for the entire period of appeal.

The Veteran's polycystic kidney disease is rated at 60% prior to August 25, 2005. The effective date for service connection has been set at September 15, 2003.

The Veteran's kidney disorder and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further examination and opinion. The claim for service connection for depression is also remanded due to the possibility of reopening based on a new secondary service connection theory.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's renal carcinoma may be related to his service-connected diabetes and/or Agent Orange exposure, but more evidence is needed for a final decision.

The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease and dismissed all increased rating claims for DJD in the shoulders, knees, and lumbar spine.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's statements and medical evidence regarding his kidney disorder.