Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations. The issues include psychiatric disorders, kidney conditions, headaches, dermatitis, musculoskeletal conditions of the left shoulder, lumbar spine, knees, and feet.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication, including obtaining medical opinions to address the appellant's contentions regarding the cause of her husband's death and whether VA treatment caused or worsened his fatal conditions.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted as it is considered to be a symptom of their service-connected depression.,For the initial rating period from June 6, 2018 to March 25, 2019, the Veteran receives a disability rating of 50% for their psychiatric disorder (depression with anxiety).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's kidney cancer and his service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents. An addendum opinion is needed from an appropriate clinician.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim, specifically concerning his exposure to herbicides and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The issue of accrued benefits is also being remanded for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as it may be related to his claimed conditions. A VA examination is required to determine if these disabilities are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's kidney disorder and its relation to service. The VA examiner will need to provide a more detailed opinion addressing the representative's contentions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's chronic kidney disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which he claims was aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted prior to August 10, 2022. Service connection for hepatitis B and a respiratory disorder (claimed as respiratory insufficiency, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, and sleep apnea) are denied. An initial rating higher than 60 percent for renal insufficiency is denied prior to March 5, 2020.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is required. The issues include service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, persistent depressive disorder with mild alcohol use disorder, and secondary service connection for chronic kidney disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate condition, diabetes mellitus, type II, and kidney cancer due to potential herbicide exposure during service. The AOJ is instructed to obtain VA treatment records, determine if the Veteran was exposed to a TERA (herbicides or other), provide a TERA examination with opinion, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, poor eyesight (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), erectile dysfunction (claimed as secondary to a service-connected condition), hypertension, and kidney damage (secondary to hepatitis C).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hyperplasia of the prostate, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease is granted. Service connection for PTSD is also granted with a maximum disability rating of 100%. The TDIU claim is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a total schedular rating for PTSD. The heart disorder claim is remanded.