Kidney disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for contact dermatitis and skin cancer with related scars, including abscesses, sores, and boils. The Veteran's GERD, PUD, DVT, and kidney disease were not found to be related to his military service.,Service connection was remanded for hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar strain with DDD on a secondary basis to bilateral knee disability and denied increased ratings for renal disease.

The Veteran's kidney disorders are not related to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board found no evidence linking the current conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic kidney disease, to include kidney cancer and renal cysts, as a result of exposure to herbicides. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for a sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, as secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, kidney disease, and unspecified anxiety disorder. The reasons include that there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after separation, and no nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no service connection claim is pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney condition, including renal failure and proteinuria, which began during his military service.

The Veteran's retroperitoneal fibrosis with left kidney removal and stent on the right resulted in persistent proteinuria, persistent edema, and accompanying symptoms that rendered him unable to perform more than sedentary activity. The Board granted a total (100 percent) disability rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations, as well as the need to obtain certain medical records. The TDIU issue is also deferred until further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left kidney lymphoma, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by service and did not have a nexus to asbestos exposure in service.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 80 percent for chronic renal insufficiency and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records since August 1, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of September 1, 1974, for service connection and a 30% rating for nephrolithiasis (formerly kidney stones) is denied. The claim seeking the earlier effective date for the increased rating is also denied.

The Board has decided that more evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical fumes during service, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for gout secondary to service-connected malaria is granted. The claim for service connection for porphyria cutanea tarda is denied. Service connection for fatty liver disease due to exposure to herbicide agents and as secondary to service-connected malaria is granted, with a 30% disability rating effective date not provided. The Veteran's claim for service connection for status-post nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is remanded.

The appeal is dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of his appeal, and therefore the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for hypertension, renal failure, recurrent kidney infections, a right shoulder condition, and heart disability were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for renal cancer and prostate cancer, as both conditions are alleged to be related to ionizing radiation exposure during his military service. The claims will need further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, peripheral artery disease of the bilateral lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to dress or undress himself, keep himself clean and presentable, adjust prosthetic appliances, feed himself through coordination issues, attend to the wants of nature, or protect himself from hazards. The Board granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance prior to July 30, 2019.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death, finding that no service-connected disability was a principal or contributory cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease was denied. The Board found no current disability and the preponderance of evidence did not support a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease at any time during the claim period. For schizophrenia, the Veteran received a grant with a rating of 70% based on occupational and social impairment.