The Board has granted an effective date of March 13, 2020, for the award of a 100 percent rating for renal cell carcinoma. The earliest date as of which it is factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected kidney disability underwent an increase in disability was March 13, 2020.
The deciding factor: The MRI on March 13, 2020, revealed a left upper pole necrotic renal mass that was worrisome for renal cell carcinoma. The cancer recurred in the left kidney in May 2020, and an effective date of March 13, 2020, is granted as it is factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected kidney disability underwent an increase in disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Renal cell carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24023495
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 A24023495.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The case is remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's fatal renal cancer, including whether it was caused by exposure to Agent Orange or secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to metastatic renal cell carcinoma, finding no evidence linking it to in-service toxic exposures.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, related to his conceded exposure to herbicide agents during active service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for renal cell carcinoma was denied as there were no prior informal or formal applications to reopen his previously denied kidney cancer claim before June 14, 2021. The earliest possible effective date is the date the reopened claim was received.
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