Bladder cancer decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bladder cancer and prostate cancer, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since March 22, 2017. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bladder cancer, as well as whether it is related to his service-connected partial nephrectomy due to renal cancer. The Veteran was exposed to asbestos during service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of bladder cancer and overactive bladder from January 1, 2015 to January 31, 2023 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The appeal for service connection for kidney disease is dismissed. The claim for service connection for bladder cancer, secondary to prostate cancer, is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the issue of bladder cancer service connection was not addressed in his Notice of Disagreement, and he did not appeal the February 2022 rating decision granting that condition.

The Veteran's service connection for bladder cancer was granted in July 2021, and the appeal is dismissed as it has been fully granted. The issues of increased rating for coronary artery disease status post MI and PCI and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer and bladder cancer due to duty to assist errors. The Veteran's assertions of asbestos exposure are being researched, and a supplemental VA opinion is needed to address his lay contentions.

The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer as the evidence does not support a finding that it had its onset during active service, manifested within one year of discharge from service, or is otherwise related to active service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure. His prostate cancer residuals are manifested by urinary frequency resulting in awakenings to void 3 to 4 times per night, and requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed less than 2 times per day. Service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Veteran's bladder cancer residuals are currently rated at a 40 percent rating from June 1, 2017 to January 7, 2022. A higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is granted service connection as it is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer, kidney cancer and removal, and bladder cancer, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service herbicide exposure in Panama.

The Board has denied compensable ratings for bladder cancer and hypertension, and service connection for erectile dysfunction. The case is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bladder cancer, diabetes mellitus II, atrial fibrillation (claimed as ischemic heart disease), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and thus could not grant presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran did not provide credible evidence to support his claims for direct-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's bladder cancer residuals are rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating as there is no evidence of active bladder cancer or other complications that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for accrued benefits due to concurrent elections, resulting in improper docketing of the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver cancer have been dismissed due to a full grant of the benefit in a prior decision. The remaining issues of SMC based on aid and attendance, TDIU, and service connection for colon cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver cancer are remanded.

The Board has granted a TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and bladder cancer residuals. The rating assigned is 70 percent as of March 21, 2022.

The Veteran's claim for individual unemployability and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) has been granted with effective dates of October 1, 2020.,Previously awarded TDIU from May 16, 2022, the DEA was also retroactively granted to this date.

The Veteran's bladder cancer claim is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition, including exposure to ionizing radiation during service.