The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons for denying a higher disability rating for retroperitoneal fibrosis with left kidney removal and stent on the right kidney. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected kidney disorder.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence from July 2013 and December 2016 VA examinations indicating lethargy, weakness, and limited exertion due to renal dysfunction was not addressed in the previous decision.
- Claimed conditions
- retroperitoneal fibrosis, left kidney removal, stent on the right kidney
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20033271
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 20033271.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for kidney cancer, which was due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, has been granted. The claim is dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal has already been fully addressed in a previous decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for an adequate addendum opinion that addresses the June 2021 private medical opinion regarding the Veteran's symptoms related to his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 12, 2023, and in excess of 60 percent thereafter for service-connected Crohn's disease, retroperitoneal fibrosis, hiatal hernia, and GERD due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for an additional VA examination.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disorder, a left leg disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. However, it granted an initial rating of 20 percent for residuals of bladder cancer and 10 percent for a scar of the left lower quadrant.
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