Kidney disease decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the need for additional development and clarification of opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus.

The Board granted service connection for back, right knee, left knee, and right hip disorders, but denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, hypertension, coccyx disorder, and hearing loss in both ears. The appeal was also remanded for further action on several other issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 25, 2023. The Board denied the claim for TDIU as there was insufficient evidence to substantiate his unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the VA did not obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's amyloidosis, kidney failure, and his death due to fluid overload. The Board finds this error was in violation of the PACT Act and thus remands for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for eye disability, kidney disability, and an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease were denied. The earlier effective date claim for the grant of a 100 percent rating for coronary artery disease was also denied.,An increase in the Veteran's rating from 60 to 100 percent for coronary artery disease is not warranted, as there is no medical documentation supporting such an increase prior to the March 2024 VA examination.

The Board has determined that the VA did not obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's amyloidosis, kidney failure, and his death due to fluid overload. The Board finds this error was significant enough to warrant remanding the case for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for GERD, kidney disease, and peripheral vascular disease poor circulation due to a lack of a VA examination addressing the Veteran's theories of entitlement. The Veteran was not provided with an adequate medical opinion on direct and secondary basis.

Your claim for service connection for kidney removal has been granted in a previous rating decision, and the issue is now moot.

The Veteran's kidney stones and loss of left kidney are granted service connection as they were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney disability is related to service and remands the case for a new VA examination.

The appeals for increased disability rating and service connection have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is related to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, gout, and renal hypertension are remanded due to the need for a TERA medical opinion regarding exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the Veteran's ulnar nerve deformity, loss of function of left hand, insomnia disorder, end stage renal disease, chronic ulcer of right lower extremity, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions were caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or fault.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and congenital multiple renal cysts, including as secondary to hypertension due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions (chronic renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus with hypertension, and residuals of prostate cancer) contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected CKD with hypertension and polymyositis have been granted, but the disability ratings are still at their minimum (0%). The Board is remanding to schedule VA examinations for these conditions.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is granted service connection due to exposure to burn pits during his service in Thailand, Vietnam War.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation has been added as an issue on appeal due to evidence suggesting a possible relationship between his service-connected hypertension and the condition.,For chronic kidney disease, the Veteran is not entitled to a compensable evaluation prior to April 24, 2024.

The Veteran's initial claim for hypertension and hypertensive chronic kidney disease was denied, but service connection was granted with noncompensable evaluations.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.