Kidney disease decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided do not adequately comply with the July 2020 Board remand directives. The Veteran is therefore required to undergo additional evaluations for his psychiatric, respiratory, skin, eye, kidney, ED, DM, and hypertension disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for retained metallic fragments near the left hip is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the claimed injury.,Service connection for a kidney condition, including as secondary to retained metallic fragments, is also denied due to lack of medical nexus and conflicting evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's kidney issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to new evidence added since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service-connected Wegener's granulomatosis is found to be at least as likely as not the cause of his diagnosed kidney condition, respiratory condition (COPD), and sinusitis.,Service connection for Wegener's granulomatosis has been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral kidney disability, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosed condition during or within one year after service and no competent opinion linking the current condition to military service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and kidney stones. The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is rated at 50% from October 1, 2021.,Service connection for tinnitus was established as it was related to hazardous noise exposure during active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of sciatic nerve (left and right), and coronary artery disease did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for all issues concerning service connection for various conditions, including headaches, liver condition, pancreatic condition, sleep apnea, anxiety, insomnia and depression, gastric bypass, kidney condition, loss of gallbladder, loss of spleen, and osteoporosis and bone condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service, specifically Agent Orange. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its complications, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and renal disease due to exposure to environmental hazards during his Southwest Asia service, including heavy oil smoke from fires and depleted uranium. The AOJ is instructed to verify these exposures and obtain a medical opinion on whether they are etiologically related to the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed chronic kidney disease was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. As a result, the claim for service connection for kidney disease secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II is granted.

The Board has found the November 2020 VA examination opinion inadequate for adjudication purposes and remanded for an addendum opinion applying the correct standard of evaluation for secondary service connection via aggravation. The remaining claims are also remanded as they may be impacted by the hypertension claim.

The Veteran's appeal for asthma has been dismissed. The claim of PTSD was reopened and granted, but the rating assigned is not specified. Sleep apnea and adrenal gland disability claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination. The TDIU claim has been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of renal cancer, hypertension, and respiratory condition due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of clear evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to additional development being needed, including verification of herbicide exposure and VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and kidney cancer, finding that both conditions are caused by the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the service connection claims related to prostate disorder, kidney disorder, and degenerative disc disease of the low back. The Board dismissed these matters as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for kidney cancer, which is related to the Veteran's exposure to burn pits during his military service. The appeal regarding blood clots was withdrawn by the appellant.