Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic renal cell cancer, was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The Board also noted that there is no positive association between exposure to herbicides and any other condition for which the Secretary has not specifically determined that a presumption of service connection is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from May 2005 to September 2007. The claim will be readjudicated after these records are added to the claims file.

The cause of the veteran's death, which was due to end stage renal disease and HIV infection, is not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, impotence, and a kidney disorder for accrued benefits purposes due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to insufficient information regarding his in-country service in Vietnam. The case will be reviewed again after additional research is conducted.

The VA treatment from September 2003 to present caused the veteran's adrenal insufficiency, but it was not due to faulty or unforeseeable care.,There is no evidence showing that the congestive heart failure with atrial fibrillation in 2003 was caused by VA treatment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cause of death is not related to his military service or any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a kidney disease other than his service-connected renal insufficiency and renal cell carcinoma with a status-post left nephrectomy. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating of hypertension and service connection for retinopathy and kidney disorder as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The veteran's chronic renal failure is found to be proximately due to his service-connected hypertension, and the claim for service connection is granted. The issue of a higher rating for hypertension remains pending.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, kidney disability, bilateral knee joint pain, hand joint pain, and throat blockage were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not contribute to his cause of death, which was due to myocardial infarction, hypertension, and end stage renal disease. The VA physician opinions supported this conclusion.

The veteran's claim for service connection for cancer of the left kidney, to include as secondary to ionizing radiation is being remanded due to incomplete development regarding exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition. The low back and kidney conditions are not currently addressed as they may be related to service, but further examination is needed.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney disorder, finding no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence to establish a link between his diabetes mellitus and any kidney issues.

The Board denied service connection for both a kidney disorder and a back disorder, finding that the conditions existed prior to service and were not aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his terminal conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The veteran is seeking reimbursement for private medical expenses incurred from November 16, 2004 to November 24, 2004 at Pekin Hospital. The AOJ must verify the veteran's military service and obtain his treatment records from the VA Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. They must also clarify what medical bills remain outstanding and consider the effects of the recent grant of service connection for renal stone and left varicocele.

The claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death has been reopened, but the Board finds that a service-connected disability did not contribute substantially or materially to cause his death.

The Board found that the veteran's kidney cancer is not related to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the cancer was incurred during service or is related to events in service.