WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your chronic kidney disease (also called kidney disease, chronic kidney disease, CKD, nephropathy), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected chronic kidney disease commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (chronic kidney disease) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Kidney disease and high blood pressure drive each other; VA recognizes hypertension caused or aggravated by renal disease as secondary.
What you'd need: Blood-pressure readings (multiple, over time), labs (creatinine/GFR), and a nexus opinion linking the hypertension to the kidney disease.
Damaged kidneys make less erythropoietin, so chronic kidney disease commonly causes anemia — a distinct, ratable condition.
What you'd need: A complete blood count showing anemia and a nexus opinion tying it to the kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease impairs the vascular and hormonal pathways behind erections. ED is usually 0% but opens tax-free SMC-K.
What you'd need: An ED diagnosis and a nexus opinion linking it to the renal disease.