Kidney disease decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for hypertension with chronic kidney disease is denied, and the Board has remanded his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's representative withdrew all issues on appeal, including those for service connection for various conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of heat stroke and a kidney disability due to heat stroke, finding that there is no current disability related to in-service heat injuries.

The Veteran's cause of death is attributed to metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The Board finds that a retrospective posthumous medical opinion is needed to determine whether bladder cancer was a primary or metastatic site, and to verify exposure to Agent Blue and asbestos in military construction.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis B, renal failure as secondary to hepatitis B, and an abdominal scar as secondary to hepatitis B on a substitution basis. The Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, status post right nephrectomy is granted. The claim for secondary service connection for voiding dysfunction to include as secondary to renal cell carcinoma, status post right nephrectomy is remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is related on a secondary basis to his service-connected anxiety disorder, kidney disease, and sleep apnea. The Board finds that the opinions of record do not adequately address this relationship and remands for new opinions from an appropriate VA medical examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and a kidney condition due to further efforts being warranted to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicides used in Agent Orange during his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for ulcerative colitis, spleen cyst, kidney cyst, heart disorder (cardiac arrhythmia), and hypertension due to exposure to herbicide agents at Fort Chaffee. The VA must provide a medical examination or opinion to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, prostate disease, kidney disability, and food allergies. The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 70% to 50%, effective February 11, 2021.

The Board has determined that the remand was not adequately addressed and requires a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's kidney disability is related to his active duty, whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left kidney disorder. The claim will be reconsidered after obtaining an adequate examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to mustard gas at Camp Lejeune, as there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed exposures and their relationship to his disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be related to his service-connected PTSD, which contributed to the sepsis caused by untreated dental issues. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death and denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of thyroid cancer and kidney cancer, finding no evidence linking the cancers to active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient STRs and a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claims, particularly those related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's kidney disorders, specifically hydronephrosis, nephrolithiasis, and cystic kidney disease. The VA examiner is requested to provide new opinions addressing these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disability, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and attributing any urinary symptoms to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for its prior denial, specifically failing to address the Veteran's assertion that his kidney disability resulted from complications of a 2004 VA surgery. The appeal is now being returned to the RO for further consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to issues with scheduling VA examinations in Iwakuni City, Japan. The Veteran was not properly notified of examination arrangements.