Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer, right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence showing that any service-connected disability caused or contributed to the veteran's death.,Service connection was not granted for heart attack with bypass surgery, cerebral vascular accident, seizure attack, Parkinson's disease, and protein S deficiency as secondary to service-connected essential tremors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's condition required continued private hospital care until February 16, 2005. As VA facilities were not feasibly available for him during this period, reimbursement is granted for the remaining time of his hospitalization.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and COPD, finding no relationship between these conditions and his military service or his service-connected diabetes.

The Board found that the veteran's prostate cancer is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has determined that the March 10, 1950 rating decision denying service connection for a back injury and kidney disability was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The veteran's cervicothoracic spine disability is established as service connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially and materially to his death, caused by rhabdomyolysis, stroke, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, depression, and aggravated diabetes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for hypertension and service connection for diabetes mellitus secondary to hypertension. The issues of entitlement to service connection for renal disease secondary to hypertension and an eye condition, also related to hypertension, are pending in the Appeals Management Center (AMC).

The veteran's service-connected left hydronephrosis and renal calculi, along with sepsis with renal failure, resulted in a 100% disability rating effective from March 2002 until his death. Accrued benefits are payable for this increased rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's renal tuberculosis is inactive and asymptomatic, and therefore does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, effective from May 12, 2005, based on a presumption under the PACT Act.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II did not cause or contribute to his death from hepatic encephalopathy due to cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C and alcoholism. The Board concluded that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a causal connection between these conditions and his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted the veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD and liver disease, but denied his claim for right renal calculus (claimed as blood in urine). The decision is mixed, with some issues being granted and others not.

The Board has determined that the veteran's end stage renal disease is at least as likely as not related to his service, including his in-service proteinuria. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection. The issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of a cerebrovascular disorder, heart attack, pneumonia, chronic renal failure, and a visual field loss as a result of surgery performed during hospitalization at a VA facility between December 1998 and February 1999 is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The veteran is seeking service connection for kidney failure due to exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service. The case has been remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the claimed disabilities.

The veteran's service-connected renal disability does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(k) due to anatomical loss of kidneys.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO/AMC for further action, including obtaining additional evidence related to the veteran's PTSD claim and ensuring that he is provided proper VCAA notice. The claims for service connection for kidney cancer and PTSD are being remanded due to procedural deficiencies.