Bladder cancer decisions — 2023

The Board has found a duty to assist error in the August 2023 rating decision and has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service connection claims for DMII, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, and hypertension have been granted. The heart condition claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death has been dismissed as he was granted service connection in a May 2022 rating decision.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer/lymph nodes associated with prostate cancer, status post prostatectomy, has also been dismissed. The AOJ granted service connection based on herbicide exposure and assigned a 100 percent rating effective March 7, 2014.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bladder Cancer and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. The case is being remanded to determine if his acquired psychiatric condition, erectile dysfunction, or sleep apnea are related to his active duty service.,If any of these conditions are found to be service connected, the Board will also consider whether they are aggravated by his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bladder cancer and its residuals, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in or near the Korean DMZ qualifies him for presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for lung cancer and bladder cancer, finding that the evidence does not support a direct relationship to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for residuals of bladder cancer is remanded due to a duty to assist error in the prior decision. The AOJ must obtain an adequate VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bladder cancer was caused or aggravated by VA care, or an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Veteran's appeal for a 100% disability rating prior to January 3, 2023, for service-connected bladder cancer s/p transurethral resection is dismissed as the full benefits he sought have already been granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 23, 2022 for the award of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to bladder cancer, which is presumed related to exposure to herbicide agents. The appeal was not about service connection but rather about retroactive payment.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for a prostate disability and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are remanded as additional medical opinions are needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water and his cause of death from metastatic gallbladder cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of bladder cancer. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient nexus opinion, and the claims for right knee condition and left knee strain are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, and ischemic heart disease due to a lack of verification regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, and ischemic heart disease due to a lack of verification regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The appeal seeking a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for bladder cancer is denied as there was no pending claim at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of November 18, 2014, for service connection for prostate cancer is granted. The issue of a higher initial rating for prostate cancer and bladder cancer with stress urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction remains pending.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is rated at 20% effective August 8, 2022. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities due to a lack of VA examination prior to adjudication.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for scar, lumbosacral spine associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis is denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bladder cancer during specific periods of time.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for urinary bladder cancer is denied, and his claim for service connection for essential tremors is remanded.