Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's prostate cancer and related residuals. The Veteran was exposed to gasoline, diesel fuel, and other such chemicals during his service as a petroleum heavy vehicle operator.

The Board has determined that the claim of service connection for insomnia is moot as it has been granted in a previous rating decision, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they related to his service-connected diabetes.,The effective date for the TDIU is set at October 31, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's January 2013 aortobifemoral bypass surgery was for a nonservice-connected condition and not related to his service-connected coronary artery disease/ischemic heart disease. As such, the claim of entitlement to a temporary total rating based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction, render him unemployable due to their impact on his ability to perform substantially gainful employment.

The combined impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, allowing for a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus began within one year of active military service and is presumed to be related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, prostate cancer (due to herbicide exposure), and erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer. The Veteran is also eligible for special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, lichen simplex chronicus (claimed as a head rash), and erectile dysfunction. The claim for prostate cancer will be remanded to determine its etiology.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease. The Veteran's claims for other conditions are being remanded to obtain an opinion on whether they are related to the service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction was not incurred in or related to service, including as secondary to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine. The claim for increased ratings for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes and erectile dysfunction have been granted. Type II diabetes is presumed due to herbicide agent exposure, while erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to the Veteran's diagnosed diabetes.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including VA examinations to determine if he has any diagnosed conditions and whether they are related to his service. The claims will be remanded to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection regarding ulcers, chest condition, and erectile dysfunction have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the schedular criteria for TDIU since February 8, 2016. The Board has referred the case to the Under Secretary for Benefits or Director of Compensation and Pension Service for an extra-schedular evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, diabetes mellitus, type II, heart disability (presumed to be atrial fibrillation or other cardiac arrhythmia), and hypertension were denied as service connection could not be established due to lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure during service. The presumptive provisions for Agent Orange exposure did not apply.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and hypertension are all found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board grants these claims.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for right upper, left lower, or right lower extremity neurological disabilities.,Service connection is granted for erectile dysfunction secondary to a service-connected back disability. The Veteran's IBS and bilateral gout of the feet are each rated at their highest possible compensable levels.