Bladder cancer decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for bladder cancer, specifically related to exposure to secondhand smoke during military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bladder cancer, specifically related to exposure from diesel and gasoline engine emissions. The case will be returned for further development.

The claims for service connection for lung cancer, bladder cancer, and tremors of the extremities due to exposure to TCE are remanded. The claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for colon cancer and bladder cancer due to incomplete VA examination reports and new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gallbladder cancer, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The evidence did not support a link between these cancers and active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of tinnitus which was granted but not earlier than July 31, 2018. The other conditions were either not shown to be related to service or did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer is remanded due to the lack of a presumptive connection and the need for an opinion on direct service connection.

The Veteran's death from bladder cancer is due to his exposure to herbicide agents in service, and the Board has granted dependency and indemnity compensation based on this.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.,There is no evidence of tuberculosis in the Veteran’s records, and there is no current diagnosis of tuberculosis. The claim for tuberculosis is denied.,The Veteran had diabetes mellitus but it did not manifest until after his discharge from service. Given the new statutory requirements under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, further development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in the offshore waters of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and deep vein thrombosis are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's prostate and bladder cancers are rated at 100 percent each, but the Board finds that these disabilities affect the same body system (genitourinary) and do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation due to housebound status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there is no link between his bladder cancer and his service.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.,His metastatic bladder cancer of the prostate is also service-connected as it was a result of his primary bladder cancer.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, and it is also granted that underlying claim. The decision finds new and material evidence has been received since the last final denial, which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating this claim. It concludes that there is as likely as not that the Veteran's terminal diagnosis and death were caused by his exposure to an herbicide agent in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the private medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bladder cancer and its presumed connection to herbicide exposure. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if there is at least a 50% likelihood that the Veteran's bladder cancer was caused by his presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased rating, and TDIU have been granted. However, the issue of a compensable evaluation for colon cancer remains pending.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. However, his TDIU claim is remanded to the Director of Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration due to his employment history and vocational consultant opinion.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest during or within one year after service and there is no current diagnosis.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran’s low grade transitional cell carcinoma of the gallbladder and his military service, including exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange.,The heart disability, hypertension, residuals of the removal of the gallbladder, and bladder cancer are not service-connected as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service exposures.,The Veteran's heart disability was diagnosed after separation from service. The examiner did not provide an opinion on its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.