Bladder cancer decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis and allergies), and asthma. The remaining issues of service connection for various knee disabilities, hip disabilities, a left knee scar, arthritis with painful joints, gout, bladder cancer, prostate disability, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension are REMANDED.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary for the Veteran to undergo examinations and obtain additional records in order to properly adjudicate his claims of service connection for bladder cancer, an acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD and adjustment disorder, and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the VA examiners' opinions are inadequate and have not addressed the Veteran's claims regarding COPD, bladder cancer, and essential tremors due to exposure to diesel fumes and herbicides. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer, finding that the Veteran's condition was not present in service or for many years thereafter and could not be presumed due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his military service at U-Tapao air base in Thailand, and as a result of this exposure, multiple cancers including prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, bladder cancer, and esophageal metastatic cancer are presumed to be related to his military service. As these were contributory causes of the Veteran’s death, entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is granted.

The Board has denied a higher rating for cardiomyopathy and remanded the issues of service connection for bladder cancer and TDIU prior to March 26, 2016. The Veteran's claim is being returned due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for bladder cancer and secondary lymph node cancer, but has remanded the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's death was attributed to metastatic bladder cancer. The Board is remanding the case due to unclear character of service and incomplete records, particularly for the period from December 1958 to April 1960.

The Veteran's residuals of adenocarcinoma of the prostate with history of prostatectomy, including voiding dysfunction requiring an ileal conduit, are rated at a 60 percent disability rating effective December 1, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of residuals of bladder cancer is denied as there was no prior communication from the Veteran before April 13, 2010. The Board found that the Veteran did not submit a formal or informal claim for service connection prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer is denied as there is no evidence to support a link between his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and the development of his bladder cancer prior to March 14, 2017. The effective date cannot be earlier than this date due to the liberalizing law that established presumptive service connection for bladder cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,Service connection for bladder cancer is also denied due to the lack of any documented onset during active duty and insufficient medical evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer is remanded as there is no objective evidence of a current deformity of the penis that would warrant a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7522.,Service connection for prostate cancer, status post radical retropubic prostatectomy, remains denied with an initial noncompensable rating and no effective date provided.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bladder cancer, which contributed to his death, was related to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's depressive disorder due to another medical condition with mixed features is granted as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Veteran's bladder cancer claim is remanded for further action.

The Veteran's bladder cancer, presumed due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, is granted for accrued benefit purposes. The cause of the Veteran's death by bladder cancer is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for colon cancer and bladder cancer as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service, including exposure to herbicides or solvents.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his service-connected conditions and his death.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability or exposure to radiation during service. Service connection for the cause of his death and bladder cancer are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for osteoporosis and bladder cancer due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are not about service connection, but rather about whether his conditions were caused or aggravated by service or service-connected disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected dermatitis or eczema is granted. The Veteran's scars, residual of gunshot wound to the left side, are not entitled to a compensable rating. The Veteran is granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The reduction in hearing loss rating from 20% to 0% is considered void ab initio.