The Veteran's back disability, diagnosed as left flank/lower back pain, is granted service connection. The rating for his kidney disability remains at 10 percent and the scar associated with his kidney surgery is also rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on a positive nexus opinion linking the Veteran's current symptoms to his in-service kidney surgery. The kidney disability, while causing occasional attacks of colic, did not meet criteria for higher ratings due to lack of severe impairment or infection requiring catheter drainage.
- Claimed conditions
- left flank/lower back pain, hydronephrosis uteropelvic junction sterosis (kidney disability), scar associated with left hydronephrosis uteropelvic junction sterosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22052590
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 22052590.
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.
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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