Kidney disease Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current heart or kidney disorder that is related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's death was not caused by any of his service-connected disabilities, and there is no evidence that they contributed to his death. The medical records do not show a causal connection between the veteran's renal failure and his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 60 percent for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, service connection for dysentery and malaria, and special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound have been denied. The claims for service connection for beriberi and/or malnutrition and hypertension were not reopened.

The VA determined that the veteran's claimed acute renal failure is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) information to determine if the veteran's current heart and kidney conditions are related to his in-service history.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA emergency services due to lack of VA treatment within 24 months prior to the incident and other legal requirements.

The veteran's renal failure and urinary incontinence are not considered to be due to VA medical treatment, as the conditions were not caused by negligence or carelessness on the part of VA.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for status post right radical nephrectomy for renal carcinoma, residuals of head injury, and neck disorder. The evidence did not establish a current disability or link these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's end stage renal disease is due to kidney disease first manifested in service, and grants his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his cardiovascular disabilities and kidney disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both his claim for service connection for cause of death and his claim for VA pension benefits.

The Board finds that the veteran's renal cell carcinoma is presumptively related to his service in Vietnam, where he was exposed to Agent Orange. The evidence raises a doubt as to whether this exposure caused his cancer, but given the presumption and other factors, the claim is granted.

The veteran seeks service connection for hypertension and chronic renal failure, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. He also seeks a separate compensable evaluation for left-sided weakness, status post cerebrovascular accident, which is already service connected. The case must be remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service medical records and a request for Social Security Administration (SSA) records is made.

The veteran's claims for service connection and SMC were granted by the RO on March 27, 2001. The appellant is seeking accrued benefits based on Nehmer stipulations, but there are no accrued benefits as the effective dates of the grants precede the date of payment.

The Board found no evidence linking the decedent's death to service, and denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board has reopened the claims of entitlement to service connection for anemia, kidney disease, headaches, sinusitis, a stomach condition, and right-sided hearing loss. However, it remains unclear whether these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service due to lack of substantial evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's alcoholism did not cause his death, and thus denied service connection for the cause of death. The appellant is also not eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Board found that none of the veteran's service-connected conditions caused or contributed to his death, and thus denied the claim.