Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for a prostate disorder, sinusitis, and tinea versicolor (claimed as a skin rash). The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to noise exposure. His prostate disorder, sinusitis, and tinea versicolor are not considered to be related to his active service.

The Veteran died from multiple causes, including a perforated gastric ulcer. The VA is being asked to determine if the death was caused by negligence or lack of proper care during his hospitalization.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status. His conjunctivitis is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disorder and diabetes mellitus, Type II. The Veteran is not shown to have a current kidney disorder at any time during or since his military service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for cause of death and nonservice-connected death pension due to a lack of evidence showing that any condition leading to the Veteran's death was related to his military service.

The Veteran's Dupuytren's contracture of the right hand was found to be incurred in service and granted service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a seizure disorder (claimed as a shaking condition), fatigue, kidney disorder, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The appeals were all denied on the basis of lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's cause of death was renal failure, but the Board has determined that service connection for his anxiety disorder may have contributed to his death. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability or any condition related to his military service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The cause of death was determined to be metastatic small cell carcinoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which were not service-connected.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and renal insufficiency. The Veteran underwent a VA examination which indicated that his hypertension was worsened by his diabetes, and his renal insufficiency seemed to be caused by a mix of longstanding hypertension and poorly controlled diabetes.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death and entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's cause of death to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and consideration due to various procedural issues, including obtaining missing service records and additional medical evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney cancer is not related to his service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's condition stabilized on November 7, 2003. The VA Medical Center denied payment or reimbursement for medical services provided beyond this date.

The Veteran's death was not due to VA medical treatment, and there is no evidence that the care provided by VA contributed to his death. The Board finds that the cause of death was sepsis due to sacral osteomyelitis.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular diseases of the lower extremities, and renal insufficiency. The Veteran's renal insufficiency is currently rated at 30 percent under the criteria for renal involvement in diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities and earlier effective dates for service connection are denied. The claim for TDIU is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied as there is no evidence of additional disability associated with residuals of treatment for adenoma carcinoma of the colon secondary to radiotherapy for prostate cancer caused by VA care.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic bronchitis, kidney stones, and a skin disorder have been reopened. The evidence now shows current disabilities related to these conditions, which raises the possibility that they may be linked to service or exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found no evidence of an earlier unadjudicated formal or informal claim for depression, and the Veteran's original application did not indicate intent to seek service connection for depression.