Kidney disease decisions — 2023

The Board has denied service connection for a thyroid disability and remanded the claims of kidney tumor and skin cancer due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service. The Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service is acknowledged, but further clarification from an addendum medical opinion is needed.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is found to be related to his active service, specifically the toxic herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for alopecia, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disability due to additional examinations being required.

The Veteran's adrenal gland tumor and enlarged node in breast are not service-connected as they did not develop during his active duty or are not related to an injury or disease incurred in service.,His hypertension is not service-connected as there is no evidence of its development during his active duty, reserve service, or secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's assertion that it was due to exposure to diesel fuel in service is not supported by the record.,The Veteran's kidney disability, pulmonary edema, cerebrovascular accident, and Conn's disease are not service-connected as there is no evidence of their development during his active duty or reserve service periods.,His paralysis of the left lower extremity and paralysis of the left upper extremity are not service-connected as they did not develop during his active duty or are not related to an injury or disease incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bowel dysfunction and kidney stones due to insufficient evidence, including a lack of VA examination opinions. The Veteran's bowel dysfunction claim is related to service-connected conditions, while his kidney stones are being evaluated further.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to the evidence being in equipoise.,Other issues related to hearing loss, psychiatric disorders, hip and knee disabilities, foot disabilities, seizure disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, kidney disability, eye disability, and hepatitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's death was not due to service-connected conditions, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's headaches, hypertension, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, and urethral strictures have been granted service connection effective November 1, 2018.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran's kidney disorder has not been linked to his military service.

Service connection for lung metastasis of renal cancer and thyroid metastasis of renal cancer has been granted. Service connection for in-service TCE exposure is denied.

The appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), a kidney disorder, vision disorder, and neuropathy secondary to DM have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during his service and thus no presumption of exposure applies. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to be related to his military service due to the PACT Act.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, left ear hearing loss, and polycystic kidney disease are not service-connected.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for urinary incontinence (claimed as passing blood clots when urinating) is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for cause of death, finding that the Veteran's acute renal failure, dyspnea/COPD/respiratory failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension were not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest, with significant contributing factors including chronic hypoxemic respiratory failure, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and emphysema. The Board found that the service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially to his cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right knee, and kidney disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Specifically, the Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown to have been present during his active duty service or within one year post-service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection on several conditions due to the appellant's death.

The Board has remanded the case for a new medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's kidney failure and subsequent death are related to service, including exposure to foreign materials or environmental toxins. The previous opinions were deemed inadequate due to lack of consideration of certain evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure is rated at 100% effective July 14, 2008. The claim for TDIU prior to July 14, 2009, is dismissed as moot due to the concurrent grant of a 100% rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney transplant/removal and scaring, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that neither his hypertension nor ischemic heart disease were related to herbicide exposure. The Board also found no evidence linking end stage renal disease to service and concluded that a disability of service origin did not contribute to the Veteran's death.