The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney failure and to reopen his claim of service connection for scleroderma. The decision found that new evidence did not relate scleroderma to service, nor did it raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. For kidney failure, the Board noted no evidence showing its onset in service or within one year after discharge, and concluded that it was not related to his service-connected ischemic cardiomyopathy.
The deciding factor: The medical records do not show scleroderma was manifested during service or within a year of separation. The Veteran's spouse provided statements suggesting the onset of scleroderma prior to service but did not provide specific dates, and there is no evidence linking it to service. For kidney failure, the Board found that while membranous glomerulonephritis was diagnosed, there was insufficient evidence showing its onset in service or within one year after discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- scleroderma, kidney failure
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2017
- Citation
- 1759189
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 1759189.
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The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the previously denied claims of service connection for hypertension and kidney failure. The AOJ is required to consider this new evidence in deciding these claims.
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