Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2013

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is found to be related to his service-connected PTSD and its medications, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The right knee and left knee disabilities were granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to noise during active duty in Southwest Asia. Service connection was not established for the thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for lymphedema residual to Hodgkin's disease and erectile dysfunction, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure.,Specifically, the Veteran argued that he was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeal seeking service connection for erectile dysfunction is held in abeyance.

The Veteran is seeking a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected conditions on his employability, is necessary.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected erectile dysfunction is denied as there is no evidence of penis deformity, which is required to obtain a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office for a Travel Board hearing. The issues include restoration of service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, as well as an initial rating for PTSD.

The evidence does not support a finding that erectile dysfunction was caused or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not due to or aggravated by his service-connected prostate cancer, and the Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a prostate disability, including erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hypertrophy, as secondary to his service-connected asbestosis. The claim for hernia was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, including hypertension (HTN), kidney condition, liver disease, depressive disorder, and erectile dysfunction are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during active duty or within one year thereafter, and they have not been linked to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for assignment of a schedular TDIU rating, and his employment is not unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and COPD, related to herbicide exposure during service are denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current symptoms.

The Veteran was found to be totally and permanently disabled due to service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and prostate cancer residuals, since at least September 2000. The effective date for the TDIU rating cannot be earlier than August 20, 2008 as it occurred more than one year prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records review, particularly regarding his diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating for his diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, and there was no evidence of visual field impairment or loss of visual acuity of 20/40 or worse in one eye and 20/50 or worse in the other. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating for his ED, as he had normal corrected vision in both eyes. Service connection was denied for kidney cancer with subsequent removal of the right kidney due to lack of evidence linking it to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a digestive disorder, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral eye iritis. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, and basal cell carcinoma due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any incident therein.

The Board has granted a 20% rating for the Veteran's erectile dysfunction with deformity of the penis, effective from May 7, 2008. The condition is considered to be directly related to his service-connected prostate cancer and radiation therapy.