Kidney disease Board decisions

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition, and the Appellant's income exceeds the maximum annual pension rate. Therefore, service connection for the cause of death is denied, and nonservice-connected death pension is also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CAD, type 2 diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and PVD, all as not being causally connected to active service or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for epilepsy with secondary psychosis and found new and material evidence. However, it denied service connection for hypertension and kidney disease as not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with associated disabilities, including abnormal brain matter, arthritis, fatigue, breathing difficulties, hypertension, balance/fainting problems, gastrointestinal disorder, heartburn, skin disorder (including lumps on the left hand), broken bones, memory problems, kidney trouble, and confusion, all claimed as a result of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's lung disorder is not service-connected, and his kidney disorder is also not service-connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable prior to July 20, 2016, and at least 10 percent thereafter.,Service connection for a lung disorder was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or any exposure to asbestos or trichloroethylene. Service connection for a kidney disorder was also denied as there is no evidence of in-service problems that could be linked to current conditions.

The Veteran was granted service connection for chronic renal insufficiency with hypertension, effective December 15, 2005. However, the appeal of past-due benefits from a May 2007 rating decision is denied as there was no final Board decision at that time.

The Veteran's appeal is denied for the issues of higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for dental disorder for VA compensation purposes, bilateral eye disability (including cataracts and normal tension glaucoma), kidney disability (including kidney stones), diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The appeals are all denied as not supported by evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, a pulmonary disorder (chronic bronchitis), renal disorder (renal artery stenosis with renal insufficiency), and psychiatric disorder. The decision found that these conditions were not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was not shown to be related to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Board found no evidence of a link between the cancer and his service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for thoracic spine degenerative changes is dismissed. The Board also denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a kidney disorder.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for diabetes mellitus, eye disability (glaucoma), depression, left hip disability, left ring finger infection, hemorrhoids, and kidney stones. The new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The Appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran was not exposed to tactical herbicide agents while serving on active duty and thus could not establish service connection for his heart disabilities or chronic kidney disease based on exposure. The claims were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's kidney condition, neck disability, and pancreas condition are related to his service-connected disabilities. The heart condition is not directly connected to any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney disease, finding that the Veteran's cancers and kidney disease are presumed to be caused by exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.

The Board finds that the Veteran's colo-rectal and left kidney cancers are not related to his service, including as due to herbicide exposure. The preponderance of evidence does not support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's urinary, bladder, and kidney conditions are not related to his service. The evidence does not support a finding of exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, effective as of the date of the decision. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and forgetfulness.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension based on the determination that the evidence of record was against a finding that his hypertension manifested during, or was otherwise etiologically related to, his active military service. The additional evidence received since the December 2014 Board decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran is granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and Charcot disease. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.