Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while on the U.S.S. Diamond Head, and whether an Agent Orange spill occurred onboard. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence or need for additional development. The effective date of benefits is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, diabetes, and psychiatric disability are inextricably intertwined. The case is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and arrange for a VA medical opinion to assess the likely etiology of the Veteran’s erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, essential hypertension with ocular changes, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction, did not render him totally unemployable prior to May 30, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another or being housebound.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation throughout the appeal period, and his TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if he has deformity of the penis, either internal or external.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for gingivitis and a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction are dismissed. The appeal for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and diabetes, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for ulcers, left knee condition, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, left wrist condition, and migraines due to new and material evidence. The claims are remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, renal cancer, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service herbicide exposure. The reasons include new findings by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine regarding a possible association between hypertension and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities, which render him unemployable.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted and a 100% rating was assigned effective April 13, 2015.,Service connection for tension headaches is granted as they are related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is currently rated as noncompensable.,Prior to April 13, 2017, the Veteran’s prostate cancer was rated at 20 percent. From April 13, 2017, it has been rated at 20 percent.,PTSD prior to April 7, 2017 was rated as noncompensable; from April 7, 2017, it is rated at 30 percent.,The Veteran's prostate cancer does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. PTSD meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating but not higher.

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for PTSD and has remanded the issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam. The VA will need to verify if the Veteran was present within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance from January 23, 2013. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether he required the regular aid and attendance of another person for his daily activities due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his functional impairment from service-connected disabilities between March 1, 2008 and June 22, 2011. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully evaluate the Veteran's claims, including for a VA examination and obtaining missing service treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus, hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease as a result of herbicide exposure, and peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure. The reasons include the lack of actual or presumptive exposure to herbicides during service.