Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and depression were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for lumbar disc degeneration status post fusion, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome. The Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, disability ratings in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea with insomnia, and disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for hypertension were denied.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for right ear hearing loss or erectile dysfunction. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further factual development regarding his exposure to herbicides during service. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and its related complications remain inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and erectile dysfunction were denied service connection as they are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease. The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety disorder, NOS, is also granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, psychiatric disorders (including anxiety disorder and PTSD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.,No effective dates are granted as all claims predate May 3, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, kidney stones, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to their inextricability with his petition to reopen a claim for service connection for Crohn’s disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including internal hemorrhoids, erectile dysfunction, right leg disability, left leg disability, right ankle disability (claimed as Achilles), right knee disability, left knee disability, right elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and hypertension have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses or etiologies related to these conditions that could be linked to service.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a supplemental medical opinion considering in-service exposures and ongoing symptoms.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded as there may be an issue with verifying exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ should verify whether the USS Coral Sea was within the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Vietnam while the Veteran was aboard.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion considering his asserted in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion addressing whether it is related to bare-skin exposure to jet fuel during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and a mood disorder) is being remanded as there may be issues with verifying in-service stressors. The AOJ should attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors involving witnessing the death of a fellow serviceman aboard the USS Coral Sea during the '1967 cruise'.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, hiatal hernia, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded as secondary to his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ should attempt to obtain VA treatment records from Portland VAMC for the period between 1970 and 2002.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA audiological examination records, which may provide evidence of a worsening disorder.,The Veteran's ear infection disability is being remanded as there may be issues with obtaining relevant private treatment records. The AOJ should attempt to obtain these records and complete any necessary requests.

The Veteran's right and left foot conditions, sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), arthritis (systemic process), right and left shoulder conditions, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, migraines (secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine), and major depressive disorder (secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine) are not found to be related to his military service.,The Veteran's DJD of the spine, right lower radiculopathy, and left lower radiculopathy have been remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction is granted. The reduction in rating for his generalized anxiety disorder with panic disorder was denied, and the original rating of 50% is restored.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C and ED, but denied service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, COPD, seizures, MDD, and hypertension. The new evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for prostate cancer as secondary to prostatitis. The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ is denied due to lack of established service-connected disability.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction are granted as service connected due to exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp LeJeune.

The Veteran's service connection for multiple sclerosis is granted, while his claims for hypertension and other conditions are denied. The lumbar spine disability remains at a 10% rating.

Effective dates of April 21, 2014 are granted for the grants of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM2) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Effective dates prior to April 21, 2014 are denied for all other issues.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and prostatic hypertrophy with urinary obstruction, lower urinary tract disorder with elevated PSA, and erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer are denied.,These claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not establish that his condition was incurred in or aggravated by service. His current ED disability is also not secondary to his service-connected hernia repair surgery.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have penis deformity, which is required for a compensable evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7522. Therefore, an initial compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction is denied.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD with depression and left scrotum varicocele, and the claim for this condition is granted.