Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal regarding his claim for service connection for kidney stones has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran's attorney.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is dismissed as the claim was filed after a final decision became effective.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions related to diabetes mellitus type II, congestive heart failure, diabetic neuropathy, kidney function, and eye problems have been dismissed. The appeal for head injury (claimed as traumatic brain injury) is remanded.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for right kidney cancer is denied, and his entitlement to SMC based on statutory housebound status is also denied. The issue of service connection for left kidney polycystic disease is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of tinnitus and earlier effective date for service connection were denied. The claim for service connection of a kidney cyst due to asbestos exposure is remanded.

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis/kidney stones and allergic rhinitis were granted increased disability ratings of 10% and 30%, respectively, effective from June 8, 2019, for the kidney stones, and April 12, 2021, to December 15, 2023, for the allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's liver disability, skin cancer, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney cancer is related to his service-connected hypertension and exposure to herbicide agents, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for renal disease and proteinuria is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the proteinuria is not considered a ratable disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, heart condition, kidney disease, and sleep apnea. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's status post, right nephrectomy with chronic renal insufficiency (claimed as renal cancer), finding that it was caused or related to his service due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for adrenal cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, coronary artery disease, kidney cancer, gallbladder/chronic cholecystitis, prostate cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma in situ are remanded due to the need for a TERA examination and further development of his exposure history.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected degenerative disc disease (DDD) and his claimed conditions. The Board finds that further examination and opinion are needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal toxicity is remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and whether it caused his current condition. The PACT Act requires such an examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were denied in previous rating decisions. The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Appellant received the month-of-death benefit and to conduct an accounting of any payment.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, erectile dysfunction, and heart disability due to a lack of VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and kidney disease have precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 28, 2018. His effective date for TDIU is set at June 28, 2018, and DEA benefits are also granted on the same date.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic kidney disease is rated at 30 percent, and he is granted secondary service connection for hypertension and voiding dysfunction as complications of his chronic kidney disease.

The Veteran's left side renal infarction is granted a 30 percent evaluation as of March 10, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney disability is due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type 1, and hypertension. As such, the claim for secondary service connection for the kidney disability is granted.