Kidney disease Board decisions

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right kidney disorder, alleging that VA's failure to provide appropriate care led to the condition. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining records from Dr. Pomonis and securing an opinion on whether there was an increase in renal pathology severity during or as a result of VA treatment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has been granted. The claims for hypertension, GERD, and renal insufficiency remain pending.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hypertension and granted service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits has been denied as he does not meet the criteria of being permanently and totally disabled from non-service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's kidney disorder and seminoma of testicle, status post orchiectomy, are both granted service connection. The kidney disorder was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal for this issue prior to a decision.

The Board has determined that there is no current disability related to service for the claimed right elbow disorder. The Veteran's statements regarding his right elbow injury are not supported by medical evidence and thus do not establish a current disability.

The Veteran's kidney failure and hypertension are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The reduction of the PTSD disability rating from 50% to 30% is upheld.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the denial of service connection for a heart condition, a kidney condition, and hypertension in an August 2016 written statement.

The Board found no evidence to support a direct service connection for the Veteran's kidney disorder, as it was first diagnosed after service and is associated with his post-service diabetes mellitus.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for right kidney removal and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the claim.

The Veteran's renal failure is not considered to be due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of VA in furnishing lithium treatment for his mental health disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current knee or kidney disability for which service connection can be granted. The evidence shows no chronic conditions during service and no current diagnoses of either condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and peripheral artery disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected conditions, including hypertension and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's renal lithiasis (kidney stones) is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The VA Board found that the evidence does not demonstrate a history of frequent attacks of colic requiring catheter drainage, and thus, the current 10 percent disability evaluation adequately reflects his condition.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma was not incurred or aggravated by service, including as due to in-service herbicide exposure. The condition is considered a direct result of the Veteran's service.

The Board is requesting a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's cause of death, metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma, was related to his presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam or to in-service treatment for kidney issues. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left kidney cyst is not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cell carcinoma, as due to exposure to herbicides, is granted. The Board also found that the Veteran has a current disability for VA purposes and his cancer was causally or etiologically related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.