Kidney disease decisions — 2022

The Board has denied service connection for liver nodules/hemangioma and benign renal cysts, finding no evidence of a nexus to military service or herbicide exposure. The lung condition remains under review due to conflicting findings in chest CT scans.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and private medical records.

The Veteran's back disability is granted service connection. The neck, right hip, left ankle, heart, kidney, head trauma, and seizures disabilities are denied as not related to service.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for service connection of a kidney condition, including renal cell cancer and chronic kidney disease. The Board denied this claim in the April 2021 decision due to insufficient evidence for direct service connection. The case is now remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, but the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent.,Service connection for gout is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a back disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a prostate disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a kidney disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a left ankle disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for headaches and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as they are caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.,Effective dates prior to July 9, 2015, for bilateral hearing loss and left knee osteoarthritis are denied.

The Board denied service connection for chronic renal failure, finding that it was not caused or aggravated by any service-connected condition and did not manifest within a year of discharge. The claim was based on direct evidence rather than presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. The claims are being returned for further development including obtaining private treatment records, confirming exposure to herbicide agents during service, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's kidney disorder, specifically whether it is related to service or his diabetes.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability is now granted as it was previously denied due to lack of evidence of a nexus to service.,Service connection for the Veteran's bilateral foot disability has been established based on aggravation by active duty service.

The Veteran did not have any pending claims or unpaid benefits at the time of his death, so he could not be entitled to accrued benefits.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran's right kidney cancer and right unilateral nephrectomy associated with kidney cancer are related to his service, specifically exposure from chemical agents at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The case is being remanded for further examination and review of medical records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for systemic lupus erythematosus, renal disease secondary to lupus, Raynaud's disease, scleroderma, and a left knee disability are all granted. The claim for service connection of the left knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating prior to July 7, 2021, and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter, for chronic kidney stones is denied. The evidence does not reflect recurrent kidney stones, frequent attacks of colic, albumin, transient or slight edema during the appeal period.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his military service, specifically herbicide exposure.,Nonservice-connected burial benefits were denied as the Veteran did not have a pending claim for such benefits at the time of his death.

The Veteran's kidney disability, including chronic renal disease and the need for a kidney transplant, is presumed to be due to his service in Vietnam and exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).,His early-onset peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, as well as squamous cell carcinoma of the left lateral forehead, left hand, and left ear and external auricular canal, are also presumed to be related to his service and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma is being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board will schedule a VA examination to determine if RCC is related to his service, including herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for its denial of service connection for a kidney disorder. The Veteran contends that his current kidney disorder is related to active duty service, specifically a traumatic injury he suffered in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and kidney disorder due to service connection issues.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and kidney disorder due to service connection issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right renal cyst, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his active-duty service at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides, specifically in Da Nang Vietnam. The claims will be reconsidered based on this verification.