Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral ankle disabilities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied. The Board found no credible evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of hepatitis C, a bilateral foot disability, prostate disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction for further development.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is being remanded for additional development to determine if it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been withdrawn.,A rating of 10 percent, but no greater, has been granted for the left upper back scar. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, are found to be so severe that they prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related complications are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his period of active duty or within one year thereafter. The Board finds that the Veteran's current conditions, including bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy and erectile dysfunction, are not due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on May 10, 2007 at BryanLGH Heart Institute (BHI) because the treatment was not rendered in an emergency situation and a VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's chronic neurological disability manifested by pain in the right and left lower extremities, diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy, is related to his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of his issues on appeal, including those related to diabetes mellitus, insomnia, retinopathy, skin condition, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, right shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and shingles. The Board finds that the Veteran's withdrawal constitutes a dismissal of the appeal.

The case is being remanded due to the need for clarification of the September 2010 VA examination findings regarding urinary symptoms and their association with erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of several conditions, including a low back disability and lung disease, are being remanded due to the need for further development. The VA is requested to obtain deck logs from his ship during service and clinical records from an April 1964 hospitalization at Okinawa Naval Hospital.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with cataracts and erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition required regulation of activities or hospitalizations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA vocational rehabilitation records. A VA examination will also be conducted to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, which is currently rated at 20 percent, has been upgraded to a 60 percent rating effective from August 21, 2012. The upgrade is based on the need for insulin and restrictions in diet and activities due to episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring visits twice a month.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding potential exposure to herbicides in Guam, as required by VA procedures.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and there is no evidence of deformity of the penis to support a separate compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 40 percent for service-connected diabetes mellitus, effective from June 17, 2013. The Veteran's DM now requires insulin, a restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 30 percent, renal insufficiency at 100 percent effective April 17, 2009. The diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and diabetic retinopathy remains rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction, as well as service connection for diabetic retinopathy, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus or a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction. Service connection for diabetic retinopathy was also denied.