Kidney disease decisions — 2021

The Board dismissed all reopened service connection claims for various conditions, including back pain, hip conditions, diabetes, and hypertension. The decision also dismissed the claim for an increased rating for persistent depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for stroke disorder, seizures, kidney disorder, and bladder disorder due to additional development being necessary. The case is returned to the VA examiner for further examination and medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the Board denied both his claim for service connection for the cause of death and his DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a kidney disability, rating in excess of 20 percent for a lumbar spine disability, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's kidney disability is suspected but not definitively established as related to his military service. A new medical opinion is needed on both the kidney disability and the lumbar spine disability. Further examination is also required for the lumbar spine disability. Additionally, the Veteran needs to be provided with notice of how to substantiate a claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and kidney cancer residuals due to in-service herbicide exposure or secondary to prescribed medications. The case requires further development with an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye condition, and kidney condition on the basis that there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, and hypertensive kidney disease have been granted. The decision is based on the merits of these conditions rather than any presumption or exposure basis.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and chronic kidney disease, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after the Veteran's military service. The VA opinion concluded that both conditions were not caused by Agent Orange exposure.,The Board also found that neither condition was related to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional verification of his exposure to herbicide agents and further examination for heart conditions.

The Veteran's death was caused by myocardial infarction, with underlying causes of end stage renal disease, COPD, and chronic congestive heart failure. The Appellant contends that the Veteran’s exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service contributed to these conditions. However, none of the listed conditions are presumptively caused by exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The Board finds a need for a medical opinion regarding whether any of the Veteran's already service-connected conditions or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran currently has chronic kidney disease, which was previously diagnosed and treated. Further development is needed to clarify this issue.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's liver cyst, pancreatic cyst, and renal cyst conditions are secondary to his service-connected COPD. However, additional medical opinions are needed due to recent submissions of medical literature.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 3, 2017 and from August 2, 2017 due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, right forearm fracture, right wrist fracture, renal cyst, and atherosclerosis have been reopened. The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims, and they are denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for all claims on appeal, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's disabilities and his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a DRO hearing to address his polycythemia vera claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in a previous opinion regarding whether the Veteran's renal condition is related to his service.

The Veteran's chronic renal disease with hypertension is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran also has service-connected diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, but these do not warrant additional ratings as they are already accounted for in his current disability evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death, pancreatic cancer, is related to his service-connected kidney cancer. The Appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband's death.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a lack of evidence linking his service-connected disabilities to his fatal conditions. The Board found that neither arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease, hypertensive heart disease nor end stage renal disease were caused by or aggravated by any of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension/blood pressure disability, transient ischemic attack/stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), kidney disease, stage 3, headache disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and psychiatric disability due to inextricably intertwined issues.