Citation Nr: 21009163 Decision Date: 02/19/21 Archive Date: 02/19/21 DOCKET NO. 18-13 567 DATE: February 19, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a kidney condition as secondary to the service-connected hypertension is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran, who is the Appellant, served on active duty from March 23, 2015 to August 31, 2015. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2016 rating decision from the Regional Office (RO), which, in pertinent part, denied service connection for a kidney condition. In January 2021, the Veteran testified at a Board virtual hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. The hearing transcript has been associated with the record. Service connection for a kidney condition is remanded for further development. The Veteran contends that service connection for a kidney condition is warranted as secondary to the service-connected hypertension. The Veteran testified that she began having problems with pain in the side of the stomach in physical training during service, and that the pain would come and go. The Veteran reports being seen about three times for this abdominal pain and testified that she was diagnosed with an acute kidney injury during service. See January 2021 Board hearing transcript. The Veteran states that during service blood pressure was high and she was told that hypertension was causing damage to the kidneys. The Veteran states that she was scheduled for a follow up with nephrology during service but was discharged from service prior to a scheduled appointment and was not provide a service separation examination. See January 2021 Board hearing transcript. The Veteran testified that, since service separation, she was told that her renal functioning is normal, but she continues to have episodic abdominal pain in the side that has been present since service. See January 2021 Board hearing transcript. A VA examination was provided in December 2015. The VA examiner remarked that the Veteran had no diagnosis of kidney disease because there is no pathology to render diagnosis; however, the examiner did not address the relevant history of in-service symptoms and treatment in August 2015. The service treatment records show that during service between August 15-30, 2015 the Veteran presented to the clinic as well as the emergency room on multiple occasions for lower abdominal pain, primarily on the left. Diagnostic imaging revealed fullness of the bilateral kidneys with decreased renal cortical attenuation. Diagnostic findings were noted to be consistent with intrinsic renal disease, and the diagnosis was acute kidney injury. Service treatment records also show a diagnosis of essential hypertension on August 31, 2015 following a five day blood pressure check. See August 2015 service treatment records. In light of lay testimony that the Veteran continues to have lower abdominal pain symptoms similar to the symptoms experienced during service, and the in-service treatment for acute kidney injury, a new VA examination and medical opinion would be helpful to assess if the Veteran has a current disability of kidney disease and, if so, whether any current kidney disorder was caused or aggravated by the service-connected hypertension. Service connection for a kidney condition is REMANDED for the following action: Schedule the appropriate VA kidney examination to assess if the Veteran now has a kidney disorder and the relationship, if any, between any kidney disorder and active service. The relevant documents in the record should be reviewed by the examiner and a detailed history of relevant symptoms should be obtained from the Veteran. All indicated studies should be performed. A rationale for all opinions and a discussion of the facts and medical principles involved should be provided. The following opinion is requested: a) Does the Veteran now have a kidney disability? b) If yes, is it at least as likely as not (50 percent or higher degree of probability) that any currently diagnosed kidney disorder was caused by the service-connected hypertension? c) Is it at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the current kidney disorder was aggravated by (worsened beyond its natural progression by) the service-connected hypertension? J. PARKER Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board S. Moore The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.