Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's service-connected disabilities to his cause of death. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions were denied.,No specific reasons or bases are provided in the decision summary.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there are no accrued benefits due as the Veteran did not have an active claim for benefits at the time of his death.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.,The Veteran's kidney disease is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment since June 2014.,The Board finds that the combination of multiple disabilities, including sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, and lumbar condition with radiculopathy, has prevented the Veteran from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death. The Veteran's causes of death are being reviewed, including consideration of probative medical research submitted by the Appellant.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 60 percent for chronic kidney disease stage 3 based on the Veteran's GFR results between 30 and 44 mL/min/1.73 m2.

The Board has granted service connection for urostomy s/p cystectomy for bladder cancer and kidney transplant as secondary to the bladder cancer, both due to in-service exposure to asbestos.

Your appeal to have service connection for neoplasm of the kidney and kidney removal, claimed as residuals of renal failure, dismissed due to a violation of VA claims-processing rules.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, kidney disability, headache disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and obstructive sleep apnea due to in-service exposure to toxic chemicals. The AOJ is directed to verify the Veteran's in-service exposure to toxic chemicals at Jacksonville and Davisville.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated as compensable, with the most probative evidence showing Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear.,Service connection for kidney cancer has been granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. Lung cancer was also presumed due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for asthma, hemorrhoids, right knee condition, left knee condition, low back pain, and kidney stones.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining the Veteran's complete service records and requesting a VA medical opinion, including a toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) opinion. The AOJ is required to obtain these records and opinions.

The Board has found that the Veteran requires personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on need for supervision, protection, or instruction. The appeal is remanded to determine if the Veteran is eligible for Family Caregiver benefits under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents and also granted service connection for kidney disease secondary to hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, and now service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The kidney disorder claim, which was related to herbicide exposure, is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 21, 2003, for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease/spondylosis due to clear and unmistakable error in the July 2009 rating decision was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 21, 2016, for service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) with stent placement and valvular heart disease was denied.,Initial compensable ratings for peripheral vascular disease (PVD), right lower extremity (RLE), and left lower extremity (LLE), were denied.

The Veteran's lung cancer and kidney cancer are granted service connection due to exposure to herbicides in Thailand during his Vietnam-era service.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is remanded for further development and opinion regarding its etiology, causation by service-connected hypertension, and aggravation.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.