Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2013

The Board has ordered the case back to the RO for further development, including obtaining medical records and information from Social Security Administration (SSA). The appeal will be readjudicated after these additional actions.

The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities has been established, leading to the grant of special monthly compensation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and issuance of a statement of the case on several issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development and examination, particularly regarding his heart disease claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy, are preventing him from securing or maintaining employment. The Board has ordered a new examination to assess the impact of these conditions on his employability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and review of the claims file, including electronic 'Virtual VA' filings. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is being evaluated in relation to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to insufficient evidence regarding his combined service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment, as well as for referral of the issue to the Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected residuals of prostate cancer, but denied his request for an increased rating. A separate 10 percent rating was assigned for the Veteran's postoperative scar from June 26, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, which is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the erectile dysfunction was caused or permanently worsened by the diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects on other conditions, are not service-connected.

The most probative evidence of record does not demonstrate that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disability, low back disability, neuropathy of the lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, bladder disability, prostate disorder (benign prostatic hypertrophy), and bilateral arm disability are not related to his military service. However, he was exposed to asbestos during service, which is presumed to be a contributing factor in causing his current respiratory disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for diabetes mellitus. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal link between the Veteran's current psychiatric disability and any in-service disease or injury.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to be related to service, and his erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to a service-connected condition. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis, continuous body aches and joint pains, gastrointestinal disorder, migraine headaches, skin rash, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis are related to service.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the Board grants this claim.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU, as his disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD was denied. The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking the current ED to his service-connected PTSD or any associated prescribed medications.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's loss of use of a creative organ (erectile dysfunction, infertility) is not related to service and denied both claims for service connection and special monthly compensation.