Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran. The earlier effective date claim was withdrawn by the appellant.

The veteran is granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (secondary to diabetes), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to diabetes) with effective dates starting from June 5, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and to schedule a hearing before the RO.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and active duty service.

The veteran's low back disability warrants a 20 percent rating, and separate ratings of 10 percent for neurological impairment in the right lower extremity and left lower extremity. The service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction are granted based on new evidence.

The veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 because the additional disabilities were not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault.

The veteran's vascular problems, erectile dysfunction, depression, and nerve damage are not service-connected under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to lack of fault on the part of VA.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, bilateral knee disorders, tinnitus, respiratory issues, erectile dysfunction, and PTSD. The reasons were that there was no evidence to support these claims based on the available records.

The Board found that the appellant's erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation were not caused by VA treatment, including his TURP surgery. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his diabetes mellitus and whether it requires regulation of activities.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations and the need for updated treatment records. The case will be reconsidered after these are obtained.

The Board found that the veteran's erectile disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, may not be presumed to have been incurred therein, and is not proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's initial claim for a higher disability evaluation for adenocarcinoma of the prostate, status-post prostatectomy with erectile dysfunction, was denied by the RO. The veteran requested an increased rating and received a 100% evaluation effective September 29, 2004.

The Board found that the interruption and subsequent discontinuance of vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 was proper due to unsatisfactory conduct and cooperation by the veteran.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and review. The hepatitis C claim is also being remanded as VA must obtain a medical opinion or provide an examination to properly adjudicate this issue.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for erectile dysfunction and hypertension associated with diabetes mellitus are granted.

The Board has determined that an effective date of September 17, 2003 is warranted for the grant of service connection for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's diabetes mellitus, effective from the date of claim. The claim for a compensable schedular rating for erectile dysfunction is denied.

The veteran's prostate cancer residuals are currently rated as 20 percent disabling from June 13, 2006 to June 22, 2006. The veteran's erectile dysfunction is rated noncompensably disabling.