Kidney disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on four different conditions have been dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Board has decided that the VA's partial kidney removal surgery resulted in complications, and they are remanding the case to obtain a complete copy of the informed consent documents.

The Veteran's kidney stones and sleep apnea are granted as secondary to service-connected conditions, while the neck disorder is granted on a direct basis. Obesity was not found to be a disability for VA compensation purposes.,Chronic fatigue syndrome is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to incomplete medical records, including treatment notes from private providers and VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection are also being considered.

The Veteran's kidney disorder is remanded for further development and medical opinions regarding its etiology, including consideration of his service-connected conditions and potential herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and chronic kidney disease due to secondary service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for acute renal failure, secondary to his service-connected ulcerative colitis, is granted. The claims for TTP/HUS, cardiomyopathy, CVA, and seizures are also remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for kidney disease, but granted secondary service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's kidney conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a horseshoe kidney and kidney stones, finding that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The appeal for service connection of kidney stones is dismissed. The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, left eye disability, right eye disability, residuals of heat stroke, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's death was not caused by VA negligence or carelessness, and the Board denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and an addendum opinion is needed regarding kidney stones and their impact on the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's kidney disease and COPD were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and in-service exposure. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence was against these claims.,For bilateral hearing loss prior to September 19, 2019, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. Since September 19, 2019, his most severe hearing loss disability picture revealed Level IV and X hearing loss in both ears, which does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for liver cyst, pancreatic cysts, and renal cysts due to asbestos exposure and secondary to service-connected COPD. The VA must obtain an addendum medical opinion that defines aggravation as any increase in disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's chronic kidney disease and his service, specifically his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The claims of entitlement to service connection for left hand/finger disorder, kidney/renal/urinary disorder, and dental disorder are remanded due to the need for medical inquiry into the Veteran's assertions regarding his military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 60 percent for the Veteran's kidney disability and denied a separate rating for his diarrhea, finding that neither condition warranted such ratings.

The Veteran's kidney stone disorder has not been shown to cause renal dysfunction, which is required for a higher rating. Therefore, the initial rating of 30 percent remains in effect.