Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2018

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension, stroke residuals, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the hands and feet did not begin during or were otherwise caused by his military service. The conditions are therefore not service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, reopening and denial of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 17, 2017, and service connection for a pulmonary disorder (asbestosis).

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The Board has granted this claim.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure during active duty in Thailand. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and vision impairment are secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, finding that they are not related to service. The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction are not service-connected as they were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes and/or PTSD.,For the appeal period prior to July 30, 2009, the Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For the appeal period since July 30, 2009, the PTSD rating remains at 70%. The diabetes has been rated at 20%, as it does not result in complications other than already service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to October 21, 2011 is denied as the evidence does not show that he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected penile deformity, previously characterized as erectile dysfunction, has been rated at a 30 percent since May 1, 2017. The rating is based on the loss of half or more of the penis.

The Veteran's chronic kidney disease, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction were not found to be related to his service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection was denied for these conditions as they are not considered presumptively linked to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea and sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction did not manifest during service or are otherwise etiologically related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection due to his hypertension.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for bilateral hearing loss, right upper extremity numbness, and right lower extremity numbness during the September 2017 Board hearing. The remaining issues of service connection are being remanded.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's cardiopulmonary arrest was caused or contributed substantially or materially to his death. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects on other disabilities, have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development and adjudication of his claims, including a TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not related to his service or any service-connected conditions, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his claimed erectile dysfunction and skin condition. The TDIU issue must also be deferred until the severity of his sinusitis can be assessed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, diabetes mellitus type II, cubital tunnel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and PTSD have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen any of these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was reopened based on his assertion that he was diagnosed with diabetes during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete opinions regarding the etiology of sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, which are service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining addendum opinions from VA examiners and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection claims.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer residuals are granted with a noncompensable rating prior to June 29, 2011, and an initial compensable rating of 40 percent thereafter.