Bladder cancer decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for urinary bladder cancer, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and residuals of frostbite in both hands and feet have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal for these issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's bladder cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and denied service connection. The hypercoagulopathy rating assigned is also denied.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and service, including on a continuity of symptomatology basis. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining terminal treatment records and private treatment records from various facilities. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand and the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service. Therefore, service connection for urinary bladder cancer and colon polyps cannot be established.

The Veteran's bladder cancer was not incurred in service or due to herbicide exposure, and the Board found no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various cancers and myeloproliferative disorder, all to include as secondary to exposure to ionizing radiation. The case has been remanded due to inaccuracies in the DTRA report regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate opinion from the independent medical expert (IME) and failure to address certain bases that could lead to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Veteran died from renal failure due to metastatic bladder cancer. The primary cause of death was not service-connected, and the Board found that neither prostate nor bladder cancer were related to service.

The Veteran's bladder cancer claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the case.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiac arrest due to respiratory failure, myocardial infarction and colon cancer. The VA physician is requested to determine if his service-connected bronchial asthma contributed to or hastened the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to prostate cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking a service-connected disability or presumptive exposure to herbicides with his death. The accrued benefits claim is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bladder cancer is related to his service, specifically his duties involving the maintenance of nuclear warheads. Service connection for bladder cancer is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic bladder cancer claimed as the result of herbicide exposure was withdrawn. The Board granted service connection for chronic tinnitus, but denied service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability and initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's kidney and bladder cancers have been medically linked to asbestos exposure during service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bladder cancer, which is related to his in-service herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), was the principal cause of his death. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's death was caused by non-small cell carcinoma of the lung, which is not service-connected. The Board finds that this condition did not arise from his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer, claimed as secondary to asbestos exposure during active duty, is being remanded for further development and an examination.

The Veteran's bladder cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board has granted service connection for cold injury residuals manifested by circulation problems of the lower extremities, but denied service connection for various cancers due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.