Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate VA medical opinions and other procedural issues.

The Board has granted a maximum 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches and has also granted entitlement to Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as he passed away.

The Veteran's death was caused by multiple conditions, including acute right heart failure, acute respiratory failure, acute kidney failure, diabetes mellitus, metabolic encephalopathy, hypertension, and possible pneumonia. None of these conditions are service-connected or presumed to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating or any other favorable determination.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, blindness (including enucleation of the left eye), kidney failure, resection of metatarsal head toes, amputation of toes, and fistulas. These conditions are presumed to be related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, heart disorder (ischemic heart disease), lung disorder, liver disorder, nerve disorder (peripheral neuropathy), kidney disorder, or traumatic brain injury. The Board finds that service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The claim for a compensable rating for residuals from laceration of the right kidney has not been met, and thus remains denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's ischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, and hypertension were not incurred in or caused by his service. The gap of nearly three decades between his service and these conditions makes it unlikely they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, renal failure with diabetic nephropathy, and bilateral hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for kidney cancer, presumed to be due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's kidney cancer is presumed to be connected to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for his right knee condition, left knee condition, and right shoulder conditions based on a presumption of exposure to contaminated water.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and end stage renal disease, as well as his right hand, knee, and heel disabilities. The decision also found that new evidence did not warrant reopening of these claims.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and depression. His asthma is found not to have been aggravated by his active duty service, but he has no current diagnosis of COPD or kidney disease. The Board grants Section 1151 benefits for urinary incontinence and leakage resulting from the TURP, but denies Section 1151 benefits for retrograde ejaculation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate August 2015 VA examination. The Veteran's claims for bilateral kidney cysts, benign scrotal cysts, and skin condition are related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board finds that the Veteran's renal cell carcinoma is not related to his active service, including presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The most probative evidence does not support a causal link between the condition and service.

The Veteran's hypertension and genitourinary disorders are not service connected, either presumptively or secondary to PTSD. The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of PTSD and referral for extraschedular consideration. The Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for chronic tonsillitis and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The other claims remain pending.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, ischemic heart disease (diagnosed as coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation), PTSD, peripheral vascular disease due to service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II, and diabetic nephropathy due to service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II. The Veteran's vision problems are not considered a disability for which service connection may be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gout is related to his service-connected hypertensive cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, and thus grants service connection for this condition.