Kidney disease decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and to determine if there is a relationship between his chronic kidney disease and his service-connected neurocardiogenic syncope or hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding herbicide exposure and the relationship between service-connected conditions and death. Additional development is needed, including obtaining an addendum VA opinion.

Service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is related to in-service stress.,Service connection for left ankle impairment on a secondary basis is remanded due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type 2, chronic kidney disease, liver disability, and hypertension due to asbestos exposure during service. VA is required to provide examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's kidney cyst is not manifested by decreased kidney function and albumin constant or recurring with hyaline and granular casts or red blood cells, or transient or slight edema. The Veteran does exhibit decreased kidney function of a compensable degree. Therefore, the criteria for an initial compensable rating for kidney cyst are not met.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney disease due to a lack of substantial compliance with its prior remand order and an inadequate statement of reasons or bases. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is granted as service-connected. The claims for fibromyalgia, cyst on kidney, and left knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's kidney disability and anemia are granted as secondary to service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and kidney cancer are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after his military service, and the exposure basis provided (Camp Lejeune) does not apply to him.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney stones was denied as there is no persuasive evidence that the condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating of 40 percent for fibromyalgia (effective prior to December 28, 2021) was granted as his symptoms are constant and refractory to therapy.

The Board denied service connection for a kidney disorder, finding that the current condition is not related to service and does not meet any of the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the previously denied claims for service connection due to a liberalizing law that requires VA to adjudicate these claims without needing new and material evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and remanded the issues of service connection for renal disorder (kidney stones), neurologic disorders of the left and right upper extremities.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service and thus not meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for nephrolithiasis and left and right foot toenail disorder (onychocryptosis) have been granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, and his partial colon removal (claimed as kidney stones) is denied.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for Parkinson's disease, dementia, diabetes mellitus, and renal failure as there is no competent evidence of current conditions related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar back strain, right ankle residual status-post fracture, PTSD, complex cyst right kidney, and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to military service, and the character of his discharge from his second period of service is not a bar to VA benefits.,Service connection for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and scars are remanded due to insufficient evidence.