Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities now meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and his claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for acid reflux and sleep apnea have been withdrawn. The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in his right ear, but he has left ear hearing loss for VA purposes. However, as this condition is not shown within one year following discharge from service, it cannot be presumed to have been incurred therein. Tinnitus was also not shown during service or within the first post-service year and thus cannot be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded as the Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the likely dates of onset and etiologies of his diagnosed disabilities.

The Veteran's upper gastrointestinal disorder, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are not service connected as they were not diagnosed in service or within one year of separation. The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and either the Veteran's active military service or his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's ED is not service-connected, but he meets the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) due to his liver cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated treatment records. The issues of service connection for various conditions are on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development regarding his exposure to radioactive substances during service. The case is now back before the Board for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine prior to December 3, 2007 was denied as there was no evidence showing that forward flexion was 30 degrees or less.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea and TBI. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, tinnitus, left shoulder disorder, hypertension, low back disorder, and erectile dysfunction are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is also granted for the extension of a temporary total evaluation due to right shoulder surgery.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected erectile dysfunction was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA). The RO found that the evidence did not meet the requirement threshold for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7522, which requires penile deformity with loss of erectile power.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a new examination.

The Board found that the severance of service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bladder dysfunction, and erectile dysfunction due to service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability was proper.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction was denied as there is no evidence of penile deformity or anatomical loss of the penis. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for alcohol abuse as secondary to his service-connected disability, including panic disorder and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of July 18, 2016. Effective from that date, the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's ED was not manifested during service and is not related to his service-connected diabetes. Therefore, the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction was denied.

The Veteran's Sjogren's syndrome is rated under the appropriate diagnostic code, but the RO needs to consider all manifestations of the disease for a more accurate rating.