Kidney disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's TBI and sinusitis have been granted service connection. The lumbar spine, right shoulder, left knee, right knee, left eye, and left kidney disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that there is not a complete record to make decisions on the Veteran's claims for service connection. Additional VA examinations are needed to address the Veteran’s history of back pain, kidney disease, psychiatric disorders, and sleep issues.

The Board has restored service connection for Chronic Kidney Disease with Hypertension and found the severance of service connection for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity and Right Upper Extremity to be proper.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for kidney stones and a skin disorder other than tinea corporis with folliculitis of the posterior neck and scalp due to inadequate development in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression), eye disorders, shortness of breath, hypertension, kidney disorder, heart disorder, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, are all denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, headaches, and endstage kidney disease has been granted. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU rating due to his service-connected cone rod dystrophy.,A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s service-connected eye disability (cone rod dystrophy). An addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's chronic kidney disease and in-service exposure at Camp Lejeune will also be obtained.

The Board denied service connection for a kidney disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis was not shown in service and is not causally related to his active duty.

The Veteran's claims for vitamin D deficiency, hoarseness, pleuritic chest pain (to include as secondary to a service-connected disability), heart condition (to include congestive heart failure) and to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, digestive disorder (excluding IBS) and to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, left foot neuropathy, right foot neuropathy, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, neck condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, gout, right kidney cyst, urinary incontinence, migraine headaches, and otitis media are all remanded for further development.,The Veteran has not been diagnosed with a current heart condition. An additional VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any potential heart condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for service-connected Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) prior to April 29, 2014 is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records relevant to his dialysis treatments.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examination opinions and lack of consideration of certain evidence.

The Veteran's cause of death (adult respiratory failure, renal failure, sepsis, hypotension, anemia, and pneumonia) is not related to service or any service-connected disability. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for kidney disease, gout, hearing loss, right knee disability, and combined rating due to unresolved issues and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's renal cancer claims are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's kidney disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's last sickness leading to his death began in September 2013 when dialysis was discontinued due to the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The Board found that the appellant is not entitled to additional accrued benefits as he did not bear the expense of the Veteran’s last sickness.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease as secondary to a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD), Type II diabetes mellitus, liver disorder, and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Board denied a higher initial rating for the Veteran's service-connected right radical nephrectomy with left nephropathy and hypertension, finding that the evidence did not show constant albuminuria or definite decrease in kidney function.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic kidney disease, gastrointestinal disability, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, left knee disability, right knee disability, vertigo, and hypothyroidism, all presumed to be related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The claims were remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection have been denied.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim has also been remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as service connection claims for hypothyroidism, GERD, a low back disability, left and right elbow degenerative joint disease, gout (claimed as bilateral foot disability), COPD, kidney, and prostate disabilities. The Board has also dismissed the Veteran's appeals of these issues due to his withdrawal of them.