Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to his epididymitis, incontinence, prostate disorder, and kidney disorder. The decision also addressed a claim for bilateral nuclear sclerotic and anterior subcapsular cataracts but found that there was no causal relationship between the cataracts and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney and adrenal gland disability, claimed as secondary to an allergic reaction to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board denied attorney fees for past-due benefits as the fee agreement was not entered before a final decision on the issue, and no provision exists to grant such fees.

The Veteran's heart tumor, hypertension, and kidney disease are being remanded for additional development to determine if they are related to his service in the Persian Gulf.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including Parkinson's disease, tremors, heart damage, dementia, lung damage, and kidney damage, were not caused by VA's negligence or lack of proper skill in providing surgical care. The anastomotic leak was a foreseeable complication.

The Veteran's kidney stones claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a kidney disability as proximately related to hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions. The claim for hypertension was not granted due to lack of continuity of symptomatology within one year post-service, and the claim for a kidney disability was denied as a matter of law since service connection for hypertension was not established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a chronic liver disorder, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the November 2013 VA examination reports are inadequate to adjudicate the appeals and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's death was caused by renal failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), and diabetes mellitus. The cause of these conditions is not service-connected.,VA treatment or care did not contribute to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed eye disability, kidney disorder, and depression. The Veteran's STRs are unavailable due to a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted, with a rating of 30 percent effective November 4, 2009. The kidney condition claim is denied as there is no evidence that the benign cyst may be related to ionizing radiation exposure during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's issues of extraschedular evaluations for pneumothorax and hypertension are dismissed as they have not been raised by the claimant or reasonably raised by the record.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus requires insulin and a restricted diet, but not regulation of activities. The current rating is 20 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disability and bilateral plantar warts, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating her claim. The rating for bilateral plantar warts remains unchanged.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes and renal cell carcinoma, status-post left nephrectomy. The evidence shows that the Veteran had in-country service in Vietnam during his active duty as a COD pilot, which is presumed to have exposed him to herbicide agents. As such, he is entitled to presumptive service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's chronic self-catheterization from December 2007 until January 2012, resulting from VA treatment for voiding obstruction, caused additional disability including cystitis, renal insufficiency, depression and anxiety. The failure to timely diagnose and treat a large bladder diverticulum as the source of his voiding obstruction was found to be in breach of the standard of care.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand is presumed. The Board also found that there was a likelihood of exposure to commercial pesticides including herbicides.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral knee disability, DM, eye and foot disabilities, kidney disease, peripheral neuropathy, headaches, erectile dysfunction, and depression. The decision found no new evidence to reopen the claim of a bilateral knee disability, that DM was not related to active service, and that none of the other conditions were related to active service or secondary to DM.