Kidney disease decisions — 2023

The Veteran's surviving spouse is now a properly substituted appellant in the claims for service connection for hypertension, Type II diabetes mellitus, and right kidney disability. The appeals are being remanded to issue a Statement of the Case addressing these issues.

The Veteran's kidney disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his service, including herbicide exposure. The examiner should also assess whether the disability is secondary to his service-connected heart condition.,The Veteran's liver disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his service, including herbicide exposure. The examiner should also assess whether the disability is secondary to his service-connected heart condition.,The Veteran's pituitary gland disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his service, including herbicide exposure. The examiner should also assess whether the disability is secondary to his service-connected heart condition.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU from March 14, 2012 to July 26, 2023 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen the service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II. The issue of service connection for chronic kidney disease (CKD) as secondary to a low back disability is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected GERD contributed to his cause of death. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's prostate condition is denied as not caused by herbicide exposure.,The claim of service connection for PTSD is dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, hepatic steatosis, and a kidney condition to include renal failure and resolved rhabdomyolysis due to lack of current diagnoses.,The Veteran served at Camp Lejeune during the period from June 1971 to May 1972. He was presumed exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's cause of death is due to ischemic cardiomyopathy and history of old myocardial infarction with severe mitral regurgitation. The Board has remanded the case for a medical opinion regarding whether his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, heart conditions, or other causes are related to service exposure to asbestos, petroleum, or benzene.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lower extremity conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to herbicide agent exposure.,The Veteran's kidney disability and erectile dysfunction are granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus and hypertension.,The Veteran's colon cancer is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for tuberculosis, pain and numbness of the upper extremities, kidney failure, and heart disability (claimed as open-heart surgery) due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder has been remanded to obtain a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including a left knee condition, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, liver condition, and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused his hypertension, which in turn led to chronic kidney disease. The Veteran was also granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his disabilities.,Service connection has been established for the cause of the Veteran's death as it is considered attributable to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as a respiratory disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by current evidence demonstrating a nexus between his claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's kidney disorder is remanded for a VA examination to determine its relationship to service, including exposure to particulate matter during his deployments in Iraq.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for kidney cancer, including as due to asbestos exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for joint pain is denied as there is no current disability.,Service connection for a kidney condition is also denied because the evidence does not show that the Veteran's preexisting kidney issues were aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and its residuals are related to presumed in-service herbicide agent exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.