Kidney disease decisions — 2026

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right knee disorders, kidney disorder (nephrolithiasis), bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral eye conditions. The appeal was dismissed due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's cystic kidney disease is granted with a 30 percent rating, effective August 9, 2023. The Veteran's left knee disability, left shoulder disability, low back disability, and sleep apnea are denied. Polycythemia is granted with a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's kidney disability, left ear hearing loss, and service connection for allergic rhinitis are granted. The issue of an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial, compensable rating for bone disease (osteoporosis) and cystic kidney disease (CKD) associated with TERA participation due to incomplete information from the April 2025 VA examination.

The Veteran's heart disease, including ischemic heart disease and aortic valve sclerosis, is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's chronic kidney disease is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease stage III was denied, and the Board found that his GFR of 61 did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The Veteran is therefore denied an initial compensable disability rating for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as there was no open rating issue to attach the TDIU claim, and the effective date for TDIU is set at January 16, 2024.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of April 19, 2023 for his entitlement to a TDIU based on service-connected congestive heart failure.,The Veteran's basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) is also granted as of April 19, 2023 due to the concurrent award of a TDIU.,SMC-HB was denied prior to August 17, 2023, as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for SMC-HB at that time.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of renal cell carcinoma has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver, hypertension, lupus, esophageal varices status post ligation, and kidney stones and urinary tract infection are all found to be related to her service-connected Hepatitis C. The Board has determined that further development is needed for the remaining issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to address his claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, heart condition, liver condition, kidney condition, lung condition, sinusitis, rhinitis, peripheral neuropathy of the hands and feet. The examinations will assess whether these conditions are related to service or other factors.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to incomplete medical examination.,The VA examiner concluded that the cervical spine disability was less likely than not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is a congenital defect and if so, whether there was aggravation during service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's pes planus is a congenital condition and concluded that it is an incidental finding with no symptoms related to his service. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the pes planus is a congenital defect or disease, nor if there was aggravation during service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obesity, and CKD. No specific issues are listed regarding these conditions in the decision summary.,The Veteran's hypertension is not addressed in the decision summary.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and unclear TERA participation. The Veteran's STRs were destroyed in a fire, and his SPRs have not been obtained. The AOJ must attempt to obtain these records and clarify the nature of the Veteran's TERA participation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted on August 13, 2018. The effective date is set at this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney cancer and related residuals is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the September 2024 rating decision. The AOJ will need to develop evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water.

The Board has determined that new evidence submitted by the Veteran relates to his service connection claims for a back disability, prostate cancer, and kidney disease. As such, these claims are being remanded for further review.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and right knee disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and kidney disability as the Veteran's claim was granted in a subsequent rating decision, which is not subject to further review by the Board.

The Board denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that VA did not provide carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill in furnishing medical treatment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney disability, thyroid cancer, and a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to obtain VA examinations.