Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for lung cancer, lymph node cancer, and pancreatic cancer are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA will obtain an examination and medical opinion to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of kidney cancer has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

Your claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma has been granted, effective April 25, 2023.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and related conditions are granted as service connected due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.

The Veteran's proposed reduction in disability rating for status post kidney transplant was dismissed as the appeal did not allege specific error of fact or law.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically related to his service-connected conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for prostate issues and gall stones have been granted. The claims for liver problems, colon issues, eye vision, thyroid disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, and kidney disorder remain unresolved.

The Board denied service connection for kidney cancer and prostate cancer as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure or other link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a kidney disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service herbicide exposure. The private opinion provided sufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the Veteran's condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability, cervical spine disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions were not established until after separation from active service.,Service connection was also denied for migraines and renal colic.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted with an effective date of February 5, 2018.,The Veteran's claim for kidney disease associated with cirrhosis of the liver was also granted with an effective date of February 5, 2018. The Board found that the earlier grant of service connection for cirrhosis of the liver is what 'arose' first in terms of entitlement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking any service-connected condition to his suicide.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and kidney disability are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's kidney disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded for further evaluation, including a medical opinion on the primary and contributory causes of his death. The Board finds that there may be a connection between the Veteran's hypertension and heart disease with service, but more evidence is needed to determine if these conditions caused or contributed to his death.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is found to be related to his service exposure to herbicide agents, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. Service connection was not granted for chronic kidney stones or head lesion with headaches, to include chronic headaches. Increased ratings of 10 percent each were granted for left and right knee instability.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for renal toxicity, liver toxicity as secondary to renal toxicity, and neurobehavioral effects due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board dismissed these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for his service-connected nephrolithiasis (kidney disability) was denied. The Board also remanded the claims of service connection for right foot hallux rigidus and bilateral athletes' foot.

The Veteran's cause of death is now considered for purposes of entitlement to DIC benefits as of July 1, 2012, the first day of his death. The Board found clear and unmistakable error in not considering a presumptively service-connected condition at the time of initial claim.