Kidney disease decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) and remanded other issues related to the Veteran's disabilities.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal for service connection of a cervical spine disability. The case is remanded to determine if renal cell carcinoma is related to herbicide exposure and/or hypertension.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded to obtain an independent medical opinion regarding whether he experienced additional disability to his kidneys following the 2009 instruction to take pain medication for his knee pain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to potential new evidence of a respiratory condition and kidney condition, including treatment with ibuprofen.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney disability is not related to his active service, including exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current kidney disability was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his chronic renal insufficiency with hypertension is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and another examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for service-connected kidney cancer, status post partial right upper pole nephrectomy.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, cerebrovascular accident (a stroke), and chronic kidney disease due to inadequate examinations and failure to address herbicide exposure. The SMC claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for lung, kidney, and prostate disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information in the previous VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's claim for a kidney disability. The new opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's lay reports of blood in his urine following an in-service fall support a finding that he incurred a kidney disability as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a stress fracture to the right proximal femur, but denied service connection for kidney stones.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a lung disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder and PTSD), an alcohol use disorder, a kidney disability, and a heart disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology. The lung disability is presumed related to herbicide exposure. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been granted.

The Board has found that a remand is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his in-service radiation exposure, as none of these conditions qualify for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and kidney disability (renal toxicity), finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active duty service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's kidney condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer. However, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for prostate cancer residuals remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cyst has been reopened, but the evidence does not establish a current disability or link to service. The claims of service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis and back disability are denied as new and material evidence was not received. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold minimum percentage criteria for a schedular TDIU prior to August 14, 2012. The Board referred the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 14, 2012 to the Director of Compensation Service for action in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for kidney disease, including as secondary to diabetes mellitus and exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the kidney disorder began in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer, status post prostatectomy is remanded due to deficiencies in the medical opinions and outstanding private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and renal cancer, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions in the Veteran's records.