Bladder cancer decisions — 2022

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection as due to herbicide agent exposure. The claims for urothelial carcinoma, bladder cancer, prostatitis, and lung nodules are remanded for additional etiology opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for calcified granulosis, bladder cancer, and low back disability. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are deemed to be severe enough to prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, but additional development is needed for the TDIU claim. For SMC based on need for aid and attendance, further examination is required as the Veteran has not been provided with such an evaluation.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bladder cancer, and lower extremity neuropathy due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Korea. The AOJ is instructed to conduct additional research into the Veteran's potential exposure.

The Board has ordered further development to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Korea, which could potentially establish service connection for bladder cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bladder cancer is etiologically related to his exposure to vehicle maintenance chemicals during service, and thus grants service connection for bladder cancer.

Service connection for prostate and bladder cancer is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection of bladder cancer residuals was granted with a 40% rating from February 1, 2007 to September 3, 2014.,A 80% rating was granted for the period from September 3, 2014 to May 29, 2018. The Veteran's bladder cancer residuals caused renal dysfunction with a GFR of 15-29 mL/min/1.73 m² during this time.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating beyond the 80% was denied from September 3, 2014 to April 5, 2022.

The Board has granted separate ratings for the Veteran's service-connected acoustic neuroma, but remanded issues related to Dupuytren's contracture of his fingers. The appeal is currently in a state where some claims are resolved and others need further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II, prostate cancer, urinary bladder cancer, and erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange due to new evidence added since the March 2020 SOC.

The Board has found a need for additional examination to determine if the Veteran's urinary frequency is due to his service-connected bladder cancer. The effective date of March 14, 2017 remains unchanged as it was when the law allowed presumptive service connection for bladder cancer based on exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's appeal for bladder cancer, which was granted as a result of new legislation making it presumptively associated with herbicide exposure, has been withdrawn by the Veteran and his representative. As a result, the claim is dismissed without prejudice.

The earlier effective date for a 30% rating for hearing loss is dismissed.,The previously denied claim for severe skin diseases has been reopened, but the issue of an earlier effective date remains unresolved.,The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, bladder cancer, ischemic heart disease, and neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II are remanded due to insufficient evidence on their etiology.,Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus type II, bladder cancer, ischemic heart disease, and neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II.,The earlier effective date for the hearing loss rating remains unresolved.,The previously denied claim for severe skin diseases has been reopened, but an earlier effective date issue remains unresolved.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service connection claims for metastatic kidney cancer, bladder cancer, nephrectomy of the right kidney secondary to kidney cancer, and spine cancer are all granted due to presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is granted service connection due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The male reproductive organ disorder and PTSD evaluation are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding in-service exposure to herbicide agents and the need for additional medical opinions on various musculoskeletal conditions, liver condition, bladder cancer, chronic kidney disease, respiratory condition, and colon condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bladder cancer and cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The issues remain inextricably intertwined due to the Veteran's claim that his CVA was caused by his bladder cancer.

Your bladder cancer claim was denied in 2014, but it was granted again in 2022. Since the grant of service connection, there are no more issues to appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bladder cancer was denied as he did not meet the criteria at the time of the March 2017 regulatory change allowing presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer has been fully granted. The appeal for hepatitis (B or C variant) is remanded.