Bladder cancer decisions — 2012

The Board found that the Veteran's bladder cancer with renal insufficiency is less likely as not caused by or a result of military service, to include exposure to asbestos and chemicals.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to exposure to PCBs during active service. The issues regarding accrued benefits and death pension are remanded as they were not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted since the May 2006 rating decision does not provide a link between the Veteran's death and his military service or VA treatment, thus it is not material to the appellant's claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bladder cancer is likely due to in-service nicotine exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's bladder, prostate, and abdominal cancer were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lung disorder, and bladder cancer have been denied, as well as the claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board and consideration of additional evidence submitted since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for bladder cancer and found that the Veteran's current respiratory disability, COPD, is related to his in-service exposure to asbestos. The Veteran's bladder cancer was determined to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bladder cancer is not related to service, including herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran died from a non-service-connected condition and the appellant did not use her personal funds to pay for his burial. The claim for VA burial benefits is denied.

The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's post-service development of bladder cancer was related to his service, based on the medical evidence of record. Service connection for residuals of bladder cancer, status post removal of the prostate, is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of bladder cancer due to herbicides exposure is pending.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation in October 2008. The Veteran's claim was reopened, but new evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening as it did not provide a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran was granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, bladder cancer, and a neck disorder. The appeals were all resolved in the Veteran's favor.

The Board found that the service-connected prostate cancer did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran died from causes not related to his service-connected hemorrhoids. His bladder cancer and coronary artery disease were not shown to be caused by or aggravated by his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bladder cancer and erectile dysfunction did not have onset during active service, were not caused by exposure to herbicides or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bladder cancer was not shown to be related to his service, including presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Board found that the Veteran's bladder cancer did not qualify for presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure and determined that it was not a soft tissue sarcoma.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of whether new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, ulcer disorder, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorder to include gastritis, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, low back disorder, hypertension, muscle disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorder to include peripheral vascular disease and swelling, potassium deficiency, joint disorder, GERD, gallbladder disorder, bladder cancer, respiratory disorder to include asthma, chronic airway obstruction, shortness of breath, chest pain, and allergic disorder, headache disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include dysthymia, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attacks.,The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of whether new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claims of entitlement to service connection for a chronic gastrointestinal disorder to include gastritis, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, low back disorder, hypertension, muscle disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorder to include peripheral vascular disease and swelling, potassium deficiency, joint disorder, GERD, gallbladder disorder, bladder cancer, respiratory disorder to include asthma, chronic airway obstruction, shortness of breath, chest pain, and allergic disorder, headache disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include dysthymia, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attacks.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder cancer, both claimed as due to exposure to herbicides during his service in the Republic of Vietnam, are denied. The evidence does not support a finding that either condition is related to service or to herbicide exposure.