Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and kidney condition as secondary to service-connected orthopedic disabilities due to insufficient rationale in previous VA opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's herbicide exposure during service. The AOJ is instructed to verify if the USS Ponchatoula operated within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam, and to obtain any necessary medical records for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's kidney stones.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a kidney disease disability due to Agent Orange exposure is reopened, but the case is remanded as additional development is needed to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, but has remanded them due to the need for additional evidence regarding in-service chemical exposure and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, nephropathy (claimed as a kidney condition), diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and gout have been granted service connection. The Veteran is also granted a 50% rating for subarachnoid hemorrhage by history with headaches.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's kidney cancer residuals are related to service-connected prostate cancer and remanded for further clarification on whether they are also related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and aortic valve replacement, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU. However, the case is remanded for an additional VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his aortic valve disability.

The Veteran's left kidney cancer status post nephrectomy is granted as due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for depression is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for depression and kidney dysfunction due to lack of a medical opinion on their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issues of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative changes with diffuse disc bulge, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is presumed to be associated with his service at Camp Lejeune, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not considered the principal or a contributory cause of his death. Therefore, his DIC claim based on the cause of death is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of narcolepsy and remanded several other issues including sleep apnea, hypertension, hepatitis C, chronic kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostate gland, thyroid dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus has been withdrawn.,His claims for hypertension, recurrent lipomas, and elevated blood sugar have been reopened due to new evidence. His claim for service connection for hypertension is granted, as it is presumed related to his Vietnam service exposure.,His claim for service connection for recurrent lipomas is also granted, based on the presumption of herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,The Veteran's kidney cancer has been granted service connection, presumptively due to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune during his military service.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder remains under review as a remand for an addendum VA examination is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, eye problems to include retinology, right knee condition, left knee condition, vertigo secondary to bilateral hearing loss, and kidney failure with advanced kidney loss. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current peripheral neuropathy or kidney disorder, and diabetes was rated at 20%.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected right kidney hydronephrosis, with left kidney involvement was dismissed as he withdrew the claim in March 2019.

The Veteran's cause of death is not service-connected and he was not rated totally disabled by VA at any time.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, urethral stricture, and kidney stones. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.