Kidney disease decisions — 2023

The appeal is dismissed as the grant of service connection for kidney disease is considered a full grant of the Veteran's requested prayer of relief.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability and chronic kidney disease, finding that there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his in-service treatment or exposure to herbicide agents.

Service connection for type II diabetes mellitus as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents is granted.,Service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act is granted.,Service connection for a kidney disability as secondary to service-connected type II diabetes mellitus is granted.,Service connection for residuals of strokes, including as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents and service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension, is remanded.,Service connection for seizure disorder, including as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents and service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for kidney disorders, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to his military service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bursitis, pruritis, arthritis, low back disability (claimed as secondary to PTSD), sleep disorder, kidney infection, respiratory condition (claimed as COPD/emphysema), and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) have all been denied. The evidence does not establish a current disability or link between the claimed conditions and service.,The Veteran's claims for bursitis, pruritis, arthritis, low back disability (claimed as secondary to PTSD), sleep disorder, kidney infection, respiratory condition (claimed as COPD/emphysema), and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) have not been reopened due to the lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's cause of death claim, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and addressing the appellant's substitution request for the TDIU claim. The focus will be on determining the nature and cause of the Veteran's death, particularly in relation to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation.,No current diagnoses or functional impairments were found for some of the claimed conditions, leading to denial of service connection.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his cirrhosis, hepatitis C, congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer, to include as due to Agent Orange exposure, is remanded. New and material evidence has been received to warrant reopening the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease, finding that the evidence did not support a finding that his condition was caused by or incurred during his active duty service at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied service connection for kidney cancer, including as due to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), finding no evidence of a causal link between the condition and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA treatment records from Columbia, South Carolina VAMC. The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease is related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for dementia, unspecified anxiety disorder, kidney condition, chronic fatigue (also claimed as sleep disorder), migraines, bilateral vision loss, and allergies have been denied. The Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including depression, back disability, right and left knee disabilities, and kidney disease. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence or undergo medical examinations regarding these claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right knee fragmentation wound scar is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's current diagnosis of a right knee scar is related to his active military service, specifically an in-service shrapnel wound during his tour in Vietnam. For other issues, including increased ratings for various disabilities and renal insufficiency prior to December 14, 2020, the decision remains pending as these are not final decisions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's kidney conditions were denied service connection as there was no evidence linking the conditions to his active duty service, including exposure to toxic chemicals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues of diabetes mellitus, type 2; bilateral eye disability; left knee disability (reopened); kidney disability; peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities; erectile dysfunction; prostate disability; and lower back disability are still pending. The Board has remanded these issues for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and a skin disorder due to Agent Orange exposure because the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding personnel records and potential exposure to contaminated water. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine, cervical spine, gastrointestinal disorders, GERD, kidney cancer residuals, and hand tremors.