Kidney disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's chronic renal insufficiency is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for VA treatment records. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for hypertension and a kidney disorder due to potential issues with the VA medical opinions provided. The Veteran contends that his conditions are related to Agent Orange exposure, but there is also an argument that obesity caused by PTSD may be a factor in causing or aggravating these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals have been remanded for further evaluation of various service-connected conditions, including sleep apnea, mood disorder, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease. The effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and conflicting medical opinions regarding the Veteran's kidney stones and renal disease.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial 50 percent rating, effective November 29, 2011. A 70 percent rating for PTSD starting from July 22, 2020, is also granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a kidney disability, respiratory disability, and right knee arthritis due to lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disorder of the pancreas due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and her service-connected lymphoma is granted. The claims for benign growth behind organs, high blood pressure due to collapsed artery, kidney compressed artery post stent, and autoimmune disorder are denied.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease and PTSD have been granted. The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, while his PTSD has been rated at 70 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for end stage renal disease, finding that there is no nexus between his current disability and his military service. The Board found that the Veteran's kidney disease was not caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune or due to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claim for SMC due to the need for aid and attendance was denied as there is no persuasive evidence showing he required regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance (A&A) due to insufficient evidence showing that he required regular aid and assistance from another person.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating for left shoulder disability, as well as the claim for compensable rating for left shoulder surgical scars.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his active service or any related conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, vascular disease of the upper and lower extremities, and skin disorder. The claims were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or symptoms of a current disability during the appeal period.

The Board has found that further etiological development is required for both the renal condition and hypertension, as the previous opinions were inadequate. The case is being remanded to obtain new medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's prostate cancer and his service-connected bladder and kidney cancers.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and kidney cancer have been granted. The appeal is remanded for further action on the claim for kidney cancer.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for kidney disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and heart disorder due to unresolved questions regarding his service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and remanded the issues of service connection for sarcoidosis, a lung disability separate from sarcoidosis, heart disorders, and kidney disabilities.