Kidney disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a fractured left little finger are rated as noncompensable, and his kidney disorder claim has been granted with no specific rating assigned.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and kidney stones, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand and insufficient medical evidence to support a nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have hypertension in service and could not establish a link between his military service and his cause of death. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's kidney cancer was not present in service or until many years thereafter and is not etiologically related to service, to include presumed herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for coronary artery disease and essential hypertension with history of mild renal insufficiency is denied for the periods from March 27, 2009 to September 4, 2013, and from April 14, 2015.

The Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma with metastases to the bone, liver, adrenal glands and lymph nodes was granted service connection as secondary to his PTSD. The cause of death due to metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown etiology is also considered secondary to his alcohol use.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an examination, as well as obtaining missing records.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and chronic kidney disease, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service. The hypertension manifested within one year of separation from service, while the chronic kidney disease was caused by the hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's claim of service connection for renal cell carcinoma is now before the Board again.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney stones are not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for sinusitis, angiomyolipoma, left kidney renal calculus, radial sensory neuritis, and right antecubital fossa have been denied as not related to service. The claims for COPD, seborrheic keratosis, and asthma are also denied due to lack of diagnosis during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney failure and to reopen his claim of service connection for scleroderma. The decision found that new evidence did not relate scleroderma to service, nor did it raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. For kidney failure, the Board noted no evidence showing its onset in service or within one year after discharge, and concluded that it was not related to his service-connected ischemic cardiomyopathy.

The Veteran's renal disability is found to be caused by his service-connected hypertension. However, the Veteran's erectile dysfunction was not related to his military service or his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent disabling. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various symptoms, including swelling of the whole body, shortness of breath, rashes, chronic bleeding of the gums, cramping and burning in the lower extremities, and renal insufficiency. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to herbicide exposure.

The Board finds that none of the service-connected conditions caused or contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death. The causes of death listed on his death certificate were not related to any service-connected disabilities, and there is no evidence showing a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service.

The Board dismissed the appeal as it did not meet the requirements for filing an appeal, specifically due to the Veteran not submitting a VA Form 21-0958 within one year of the April 2015 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal, kidney condition (nephropathy), heart disorder, and right arm disorder are not service connected due to lack of evidence showing their onset during or within one year after service. The hypertension claim is also denied as it did not manifest within a year of discharge.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and secondary kidney disability, due to claimed herbicide exposure on active duty.