Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on a need for aid and attendance or housebound status. The appeal is now remanded to address issues of service connection, including those related to bilateral knee disorders, postoperative residuals of bladder cancer and kidney cancer (secondary to Agent Orange exposure), and an eye disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension and chronic renal failure. The claims are inextricably intertwined due to the secondary service connection aspect.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood was denied, but he received a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability. The Veteran also received separate ratings for radiculopathy of each lower extremity and an earlier effective date for the award of 10 percent ratings.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decision can be made as the claim is moot.

The Veteran's kidney disease is not service-connected due to lack of in-service exposure or manifestation, and the Board finds no nexus between his current condition and active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder were not incurred or aggravated during service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities.,An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is denied, as the evidence does not show that it requires insulin or a restricted diet.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, hypertension with heart involvement, and renal insufficiency required treatment including insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities from October 14, 2004 to September 12, 2008. A higher rating is not warranted during this period.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides during service, and the Veteran's prostate cancer was not diagnosed or treated in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran served in close proximity to an area where herbicide agents were used on or near the perimeter of NKP Royal Thai Air Base during his Vietnam War service. As such, diabetes is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran died of small cell lung cancer, but his service connection claims for lung cancer and diabetes mellitus were not meritorious at the time of his death. The Board found that he did not meet the criteria for VA burial benefits due to lack of service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his kidney condition and service connection claims. The earlier effective date claim will be addressed after the service connection claims are resolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran not reporting for a scheduled hearing and his address changing. The Veteran is requested to provide their current mailing address so that they can be notified of an additional opportunity to report for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is presumed to be related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and CAD, status post coronary artery bypass graft, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's Polycystic Kidney Disease did not permanently increase in severity beyond its natural progression during service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection based on aggravation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and determining his length of service at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran has raised a new theory of presumptive entitlement based on contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's cause of death (complications of a left hip fracture) or other significant contributing conditions (hypertension, coronary artery disease, or renal failure) may have been etiologically related to his service. The May 2017 VA records review and medical opinion is given substantial probative weight.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death was not caused by VA hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, nor did it find fault on the part of VA. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer are as likely as not attributable to his in-service exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.