Kidney disease decisions — 2021

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for kidney transplant with residual surgical scars and hyperparathyroidism due to outstanding VA, private, and SSA records. The Veteran needs to provide authorization for release of any relevant private treatment records and an updated VA examination is required.

The Veteran's kidney condition, associated with diabetes mellitus type 1 and mild diabetic retinopathy, was initially rated at 30 percent in April 2014 and increased to 80 percent in December 2016. The appellant is seeking a higher initial rating for the kidney condition. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for stage IVA papillary thyroid cancer and kidney disease with dialysis were denied as there was no evidence of radiation exposure during service, and the diseases are not considered presumptively related to such exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of renal cell carcinoma, as secondary to herbicide exposure, due to insufficient evidence in the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral renal cysts and muscle spasms in legs, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to active service.,The Veteran's current diagnoses were diagnosed decades after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and kidney disability are remanded due to the need for additional development including a glucose intolerance test for diabetes and an addendum opinion regarding the kidney disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated higher than 40 percent prior to August 25, 2020, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter.,Service connection for lung disability other than pharyngeal cancer (to include chronic bronchitis and emphysema) due to in-service herbicide exposure is remanded.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during his service. The Board denied the claims for service connection for COD and DIC.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and kidney failure due to outstanding private treatment records that may be pertinent to the issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for ED as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran appealed this decision and the Court vacated it.,The Board also denied service connection for hypertension on a direct or secondary basis (to herbicide exposure or CAD).,Service connection was denied for macular degeneration as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection was denied for kidney disease as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection was denied for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection was denied for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection was denied for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection was denied for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service, and a need for another VA examination.

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is dismissed. The petition to reopen service connection for hypertension has been granted, and the issues of service connection for various conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for cause of the Veteran's death. The VA examiner did not provide a rationale supporting their conclusion that none of the non-presumtively service-connected conditions listed on the Veteran's death certificate were related to his service, including in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining records and verifying the Veteran's service in Okinawa. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for multiple myeloma, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer due to potential exposure to toxins during military service. Additional development is needed to confirm the U.S.S. Ranger's location and any other relevant evidence must be submitted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer has been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disease, peripheral and median neuropathy of the upper left extremity, peripheral and median neuropathy of the right upper extremity, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate reasons or bases provided in previous decisions regarding service connection and secondary service connection.