Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's kidney cancer and his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The VA examiner did not provide a definitive opinion on whether the cancer is related to service or caused by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's left renal cancer is remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA examination and opinion provided, which did not adequately consider his exposure to petroleum products during service.

The Veteran's death was due to vascular dementia, which may have been caused by Agent Orange exposure. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the cause of strokes and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for kidney and prostate disabilities due to inadequate examinations, requiring further evaluation by VA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of adequate medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions, specifically chronic kidney disease and hypertension. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran did not have any benefits due and unpaid at the time of his death, as no claims were pending. Therefore, accrued benefits are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and renal dysfunction are granted on a direct basis prior to August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him helpless or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus denying his claim for special monthly compensation based on housebound status or permanent need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for hypertension and left knee disability, as well as service connection for chronic kidney disease, was denied. The right knee disability received a 20% rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claims for kidney cancer residuals and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with implanted cardiac pacemaker are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and psoriasis due to Agent Orange exposure are granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis is denied.

The Veteran's disability rating for benign prostate hypertrophy with chronic renal insufficiency was restored from 0% to 60%, effective September 1, 2021. The reduction in rating was found to be improper due to inadequate examination and failure to address voiding dysfunction.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, but with a noncompensable evaluation effective April 30, 2020. The Board also remanded several other issues related to various conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney, liver, right shoulder, and right foot bunion conditions have been denied.,There is no evidence of current disabilities in these areas during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes, diabetic neuropathy in all four extremities, hypertension, kidney cancer, and thyroid cancer are granted. Service connection is also granted for loss of use of the left foot due to diabetic neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and remanded the claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, and kidney disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic kidney disease is being remanded due to the need for a VA opinion regarding the etiology of his condition, which may be related to in-service herbicide exposure.

Service connection for kidney cancer, essential tremors, and Parkinson's disease has been dismissed.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension was granted with an effective date of August 10, 2022. Service connection for emphysema remains pending as the AOJ decision is not yet appealable.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the care or assistance of another on a regular basis, meeting the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of his neoplasm of the kidney and chronic kidney disease has been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 30 percent.