Kidney disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for type II diabetes mellitus, circulatory disorder, neurological disorder, kidney disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and eye or vision disorder have been granted due to herbicide exposure during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current kidney disorder and residuals of severe strep throat are related to service.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU beginning on December 6, 2006 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU beginning on and after November 30, 2015 is moot as it would be a duplication of the existing disability picture.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion from a different examiner and ensure that it addresses any medical literature supporting causation of sleep apnea by hypertension, kidney disease, and/or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease with renal impairment and pacemaker is rated at 100 percent from March 11, 2010. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since February 14, 2008. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 requires a compensable rating. There are no compensable ratings for impotence, urticaria, or headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for malaria residuals, diabetes mellitus type 2, and a heart disorder have been reopened. The evidence submitted is new and material to reopen these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 has also been reopened with the submission of additional medical evidence linking his current condition to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), left knee disability, kidney disorder, and hypertension. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bladder cancer and its related conditions, finding that his PTSD may have contributed to his tobacco use which in turn caused his bladder cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic renal cell carcinoma, which the Board found not related to service or any presumptive exposure. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hypertension contributed substantially or materially to his death from renal cell cancer, and thus grants the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides in Panama and/or the Canal Zone between April 1968 and May 1969 at Fort Gulick. Additional development must be conducted in compliance with M21-1MR, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, Section C, para. 10(n).

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current kidney disorder, including considering VA treatment records and obtaining medical opinions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and kidney disease are service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his military service. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service, is granted for accrued benefits purposes. The non-service connected pension claim is denied as the Veteran does not meet the criteria for permanent and total disability.

The Veteran's kidney failure and rejection of the transplanted kidney are not deemed to be caused by VA care, resulting in a denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's right kidney disability was not productive of hydronephrosis with frequent attacks of colic, requiring catheter drainage; or renal dysfunction; or recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections requiring drainage/frequent hospitalization and/or requiring continuous intensive management prior to August 6, 2009. From and after August 6, 2009, the function of the Veteran's remaining kidney has been normal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's renal disease is proximately due to medications prescribed for his service-connected low back disability, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bladder and kidney disorders as due to an undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability occurring in a Persian Gulf Veteran. The Veteran's gastritis, right knee instability, limitation of flexion, and post-total knee replacement have been rated at the maximum available benefit.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a kidney disability and left ankle trauma are being remanded due to inadequate examination opinions, incomplete development of private treatment records, and the need for further consideration.