Kidney disease decisions — 2026

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted as of August 1, 2022. However, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for prostate cancer is denied.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of a presumptive relationship to herbicide exposure. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Board finds the available opinions inadequate and requires a new VA examination to determine if OSA is related to service, including conceded exposure to herbicide agents. If related, the examiner must also consider whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the August 2019 denial of HISA benefits for installing handrails in a swimming pool was defective and incomplete, as it did not provide proper notice of appeal rights. The claim is being remanded to correct these deficiencies.

The Veteran's kidney stones of the left kidney did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating as they were asymptomatic and nonobstructive, with no evidence of frequent attacks of colic or severe hydronephrosis. The claim for an increased disability rating is denied.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including a low back disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, headaches, and neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities, has been granted based on new evidence suggesting these disabilities are related to service exposure at Camp Lejeune.,A skin disability claim was also reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, which is presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's cause of death was due to acute kidney injury and aortic valve replacement, both linked to his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the maximum benefits for hypertensive renal disease have already been awarded with respect to the issues on appeal, and there is no longer a case or controversy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney condition (claimed as kidney disease and kidney stones) has been dismissed. The claims for TBI residuals, stroke residuals, vertigo, and headache conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted service connection on a secondary basis as it was aggravated by his service-connected residuals of malignant neoplasm of the left kidney. The adrenal gland tumor claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence and the need for a TERA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's kidney cancer and his service, including exposure to toxic chemicals like AFFF and PFAS. The VA is instructed to schedule a VA renal examination for the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 due to an alleged missing Notice of Disagreement (NOD) filed in January 2016, which was sent in response to a notification letter dated October 2015.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for a kidney disability, an eye condition (to include as due to diabetes mellitus type II), and GERD. The issues of initial ratings and effective dates were also addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left elbow condition, kidney stones, and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left wrist disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further development regarding his exposure at Fort McClellan, including toxic exposures. The Board will consider all evidence and determine if there is a nexus between the claimed conditions and these exposures.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma was received on June 28, 2019. The effective date of the award is set to this date as it is later than the diagnosis date.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic back pain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected multiple myeloma. The appeal is being remanded for further development regarding other claimed conditions, including those potentially related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected chronic kidney disease prior to March 11, 2016. As he now has a total rating for this condition and other disabilities are rated at 60% or more, he also qualifies for SMC.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for kidney cancer, which was due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, has been granted. The claim is dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal has already been fully addressed in a previous decision.

The Board has remanded several issues for further review, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of current bilateral hearing disability meeting VA criteria. His left shoulder scars and left flank scar ratings remain noncompensable due to lack of compensating factors such as pain or instability. Hyperuricemia is not rated higher than noncompensable under the applicable diagnostic codes, and hypertension remains noncompensable.