Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's kidney disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions including kidney disability, hypertension, heart disability (cardiomyopathy), skin disability (swollen lymph nodes), and recurrent headache disability. The Veteran is also seeking TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his cause of death, finding insufficient evidence to establish full-body exposure to mustard gas during service and no medical link between the Veteran's causes of death and mustard gas exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of the 100% rating for prostate cancer was denied. A 40% rating for residuals of prostate cancer from May 1, 2018 is granted. The Veteran is also granted TDIU effective May 1, 2018.

The Veteran's left toe disability is found to be etiologically related to an injury during active service.,The Veteran's kidney stones are not considered to have been aggravated by his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and whether service-connected PTSD contributed to the Veteran's death. The VA needs to obtain an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a presumptive condition due to Agent Orange exposure under the PACT Act. Service connection for chronic renal disease secondary to hypertension is also granted. However, service connection for hypertension on any other basis remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for kidney cancer and liver cancer due to a withdrawal request by the Veteran's authorized representative.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal disease and an acquired psychiatric disability was reopened, but both claims were denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Type II diabetes mellitus (claimed as due to herbicide exposure), and a kidney disability (including tumor) due to potential errors in the audiometric evaluations and service connection determinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding asbestos exposure in service and to determine if any causes of death were related to such exposure. The Veteran's cause of death was listed as metastatic colorectal cancer, but there are other cancers that may be related to asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with nephropathy and erectile dysfunction required more than one daily injection of insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities prior to January 25, 2021. The Board has remanded the issues related to a respiratory disorder secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, respiratory disability, peripheral circulatory disorder, right lower extremity neurological impairment, and left lower extremity neurological impairment due to inextricably intertwined issues remaining on appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a vision condition, epididymitis, and kidney stones due to their withdrawal by the Veteran's representative. The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of kidney (renal) cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer for additional efforts to verify periods of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) and an addendum opinion regarding possible exposures in service.

The Veteran's kidney cancer and hypertension are now rated at 30% effective from May 11, 2022. His right foot dermatophytosis remains denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for glomerulonephritis, chronic renal disease, and IgA nephropathy was denied. The Board found that the June 2003 application was a formal claim for pension benefits only and did not reasonably raise a claim for disability compensation benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for kidney disorder, bilateral foot disorders, and tinnitus. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin infections, peripheral neuropathy, chronic kidney disease, and retinopathy are remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA examinations.