Bladder cancer decisions — 2020

The Veteran's death prevented the appellant from receiving accrued benefits as there were no pending claims at the time of his death, and her application was not filed within one year of his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination opinions and for further development. The Veteran's bladder cancer, BPH, and erectile dysfunction are being evaluated under presumptive service connection based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to his failure to appear for scheduled examinations and VA attempts to contact him. The issues include cervical spine disability, CVA/TBI with headaches, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, eye/cataracts disability, skin disability, lung disability, and kidney disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective date were denied as the evidence did not show that he required absorbent materials to be changed more than four times per day prior to September 26, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service or any incident of service, including as due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for bladder cancer has been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for sigmoid colon cancer and bladder cancer due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The Veteran's military records do not indicate participation in a radiation-risk activity, but his testimony and assertions suggest potential exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding etiology, including herbicide agent exposure and aggravation by prostate cancer. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer is now pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bladder cancer and prostate disability due to chemical or conceded herbicide exposure. Additional evidence is needed, including updated treatment records and a urology examination to clarify diagnoses and determine if there is a relationship between service, chemical exposures, and these conditions.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for impotence and remanded the service connection claim for bladder cancer.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer and lung nodules, attributing the conditions to a history of smoking rather than military service.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of continuity of symptomatology and the absence of a nexus between current tinnitus and military noise exposure. The appeal is REMANDED as there are no medical opinions regarding the etiology of bladder cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of bladder cancer, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his military service and the condition. The Board also denied secondary service connection due to urethritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran is requested to provide information about his mental health providers and VA will obtain their records. Additionally, VA must attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors during his deployment to Okinawa.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bladder cancer is granted. The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder is granted a 30% disability rating effective October 7, 2019. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted an initial compensable disability rating.

The Board denied higher initial disability ratings for various conditions, including right knee chondromalacia patella, right shoulder disorder, right wrist disorder, left ankle disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, bladder cancer, ulcerative colitis, Bell's palsy, stroke residuals, hair loss, and skin disorder.

The Veteran's cause of death, end stage bladder cancer, is not service connected as it did not manifest during service or within a presumptive period and cannot be presumed due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the Veteran’s bladder cancer was not related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for bladder cancer and its residuals due to prostatectomy, as they are inextricably intertwined. A new VA medical opinion is needed to address all relevant evidence of record and provide an adequate rationale for any opinion offered.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and to obtain his complete service personnel records. The issues of service connection for various disabilities, including skin cancer, back cancer, back pain and thoracic fracture, gastroenteritis, bladder cancer, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, left hip disorder, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer, right foot vascular disorder, and sinusitis are remanded.