Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for kidney cancer and adrenal cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange. The Veteran had surgery to remove renal cancer in 2005, which is considered a current disability.

The Veteran's kidney disability and hypertension have been granted service connection. The case for hypertension has been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension and its secondary effects on other conditions. The decision found that there was no evidence of these conditions during active duty or ACDUTRA, and thus could not be granted based on presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hyperparathyroidism, insomnia, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and dizziness/vertigo due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination report. The Veteran's exposure to trichloroethylene during military service is recognized.

The Board has granted service connection for kidney cancer residuals, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's condition was caused by exposure to herbicide agents during his military service. The decision also notes that there is insufficient medical and scientific evidence to support a relationship between renal cell carcinoma and herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is found to be etiologically related to his toxic exposure during active duty, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement for non-VA medical care under the CLFMP for female infertility, as the claim was not timely filed. The claims for neurobehavioral effects, scleroderma, and renal toxicity were remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease is being reviewed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer, status post right nephrectomy as there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for hepatic steatosis and a left shoulder disorder due to insufficient evidence. The kidney disorder claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for residuals of renal cell carcinoma status post partial nephrectomy with a 100 percent evaluation has been withdrawn and is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied, with effective dates set at May 11, 2018, and December 1, 2017, respectively.,Eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was granted on October 4, 2019.

The Veteran was seen for urinalysis related to a service-connected kidney disorder on June 5, 2024. The Board found that he meets the eligibility criteria for beneficiary travel benefits and granted his claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's hyperparathyroidism, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and insomnia are all currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach condition and nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) have been denied. The Board found no current disability related to the claimed conditions, and that any diagnosed kidney stones is not etiologically related to his active service.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating and TDIU due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding albuminuria.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cause of the Veteran's death and dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, survivors' pension, and accrued benefits due to a lack of an etiology opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's acute myeloid leukemia and his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 USC 1151 for chronic kidney disease was denied as he did not have a current diagnosis of the condition at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request to withdraw all pending appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, specifically his medication for treatment of PTSD, is found to have contributed materially to his death. The Board concludes the evidence is in approximate balance with respect to whether the PTSD medication caused his death.