Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2007

The veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin cancer, headaches, choking and difficulty swallowing, and erectile dysfunction. The RO is directed to obtain medical records and conduct examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, both of which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure. The earliest date of claim is September 13, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and readjudication of the issues on appeal.

The Board found no evidence of erectile dysfunction during service or for many years after, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss and an increased (compensable) evaluation for erectile dysfunction. The claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II is granted with a 20 percent rating prior to May 2, 2006.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction does not result in penile deformity, and thus is not compensable under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction, arterial hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The claims were also denied regarding reopening of the peripheral neuropathy claims due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his muscle tension headaches, service connection for brain damage and erectile dysfunction were denied. The appeals to reopen claims for diabetes mellitus type II and dysthymia were also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's erectile dysfunction, without visible deformity of the penis, does not warrant a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have arthritis and denied service connection for this condition. The issue of a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction was also denied as there is no pathology related to the disability.

The Board finds that the veteran's request for service connection for hypertension, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus is granted. The decision also includes a waiver of overpayment in an amount not specified.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, associated with herbicide exposure does not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating greater than 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's erectile dysfunction is service-connected, as it began during his military service and continues to this day. The claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such severity so as to preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities alone.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the veteran's erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied service connection for sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction and gastrointestinal condition (hiatal hernia and reflux disease) claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD.,There is no evidence of current existence or direct link between the veteran's active duty service and these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for erectile dysfunction was denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's disability evaluation guidelines.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 with erectile dysfunction is productive of the need for prescribed insulin and a restricted diet, with evidence of a need to restrict his physical activities in order to control his diabetes. The Board finds that the severity of the service-connected diabetes more closely approximates the criteria for the next higher rating of 40 percent.