The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal carcinoma, claimed as a right renal mass, was denied by the Board. The appeal is remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA physician regarding the likelihood of a link between the Veteran's in-service exposure to chemicals and his development of renal carcinoma.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence that the Veteran's in-service exposure to chemicals caused his renal carcinoma, but noted other risk factors for kidney cancer such as smoking, obesity, workplace exposures (including cadmium, herbicides, and organic solvents), genetic and hereditary risk factors, and advanced kidney disease.
- Claimed conditions
- renal carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2016
- Citation
- 1639918
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1639918.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal as it is not a final decision and does not address the issues of entitlement to restoration of a 100 percent rating for kidney neoplasm with right kidney removal and renal carcinoma with bone metastasis, or entitlement to restoration of special monthly compensation.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal, stating he is satisfied with his overall VA disability rating and does not wish to proceed further.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various cancers and sinusitis due to incomplete development. The Veteran's exposure to radiation is under consideration, but no specific basis for exposure was provided.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his renal carcinoma with metastasis to the liver and lungs was not linked to disease or injury incurred in active service, including herbicide exposure.
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