Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2013

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran served in Vietnam and is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, including Agent Orange. Service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted as it is presumed due to exposure to herbicides.

The Board found no in-service exposure to herbicides or other chemicals, and thus denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, and a sleep disorder due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran served in Vietnam or had duty or visitation there.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for readjudication of his claim.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II with erectile dysfunction is currently rated at 20 percent. The ratings for his peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are all denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus. The issue of TDIU is also being addressed due to its inextricability with the increased rating claim.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have in-country service or documented exposure to herbicides, and thus could not establish service connection for any of his claimed disabilities on a presumptive basis. The preponderance of evidence was against each claim.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, but denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and vertigo.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The initial evaluation for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction was granted, but the claim for hypertension was not addressed as it arose after a grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, but denied the claim of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects, as they were not shown to be related to active service or any presumptive exposure conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction due to in-service herbicide exposure or as secondary to a service-connected condition were denied because there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during active duty, and the diseases are not otherwise related to his military service.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing its onset in service or within one year after discharge. The erectile dysfunction claim was not addressed as it does not involve a presumptive exposure basis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was received on September 26, 2006. The effective date of the award of VA benefits based on service connection for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is set at September 26, 2006, with an additional one-year grace period due to the Veteran's failure to return the signature page. The decision was granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation as there is no evidence of penile deformity, removal of half or more of his penis, or removal of his glans. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including nephropathy, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his disabilities. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder and erectile dysfunction, as well as to obtain any outstanding VA or private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction has been denied as there is no evidence of visible deformity of the penis, and his condition does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for Type II Diabetes Mellitus with erectile dysfunction and associated peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity were granted, with a rating of 40 percent effective November 14, 2011. The claim for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was also granted, but at a separate 10 percent rating.