The Veteran's kidney disease was granted an increased rating to 80 percent effective March 7, 2014. His diabetes and peripheral neuropathy were rated appropriately, but his diabetic retinopathy with macular edema did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s renal dysfunction manifested as persistent albuminuria and elevated BUN/creatinine levels from January 2014 onwards, meeting the criteria for an 80 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7541.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic nephropathy, diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral diabetic retinopathy with diabetic macular edema
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- February 25, 2020
- Citation
- 20014547
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 20014547.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on housebound status and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are remanded.
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