Bladder cancer decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a medical opinion regarding whether prostate cancer manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more at the time his prostate was removed. The claims are inextricably intertwined with the SMC claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer, which he claimed was due to herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a finding that his bladder cancer is related to his military service or to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's bladder cancer claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the condition is related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for cancers of the bladder, lung, colon, kidney, and bones for purposes of accrued benefits due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty. The cause of death was also denied as there is no probative medical evidence establishing a nexus between the veteran's fatal cancer and his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for bladder cancer, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Board denied service connection for bladder and prostate cancer as a result of exposure to Agent Orange, and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus. The veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer and chronic prostatitis, finding no evidence of a current disability related to service or the Vietnam Era. The veteran's claim was not granted on a presumptive basis as bladder cancer is not listed among conditions presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims are not well-grounded and have been denied for service connection due to tobacco use in service. The veteran had ongoing claims prior to his death, but these were denied as not well grounded.

The veteran's death was attributed to squamous cell bladder cancer, but the Board found insufficient evidence to determine if this cancer began during service or was related to exposure to Agent Orange. The primary site of the fatal cancer and whether it was aggravated by a pre-existing condition need further clarification.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, bladder cancer due to Agent Orange exposure, and prostate cancer. The denial was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to his military service, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the RO's decision is not in compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and requires additional development before a final determination can be made.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer, claimed as secondary to ionizing radiation exposure is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional information and medical examination are needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation and/or chemicals.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was metastatic bladder cancer, which the VA medical opinions suggest is not related to his service or exposure to Agent Orange. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is denied.