Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2020

The Board has granted an effective date of July 21, 2009 for a 10 percent rating for lumbar lipoma. The claims for service connection for PTSD and erectile dysfunction, as well as special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ, are denied prior to March 23, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that there is no evidence linking his condition to service or his service-connected seizure disorder.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, along with other service-connected conditions, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. A rating of 40 percent for prostate cancer residuals is granted, effective from August 15, 2016, and TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for VR&E services, including education to pursue a career as a physical therapist, is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an updated vocational rehabilitation evaluation considering his current symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD, type II diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea due to new evidence indicating potential exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's statements regarding his stressors need to be verified, and a statement of the case should be issued on these issues.

The Veteran's right upper extremity weakness is rated at 50% disabling, and his right lower extremity weakness is rated at 80%. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction. His diabetic nephropathy remains at 30%.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient discussion of the psychological aspect of the Veteran's erectile dysfunction and its relationship to service, including his in-service STD and subsequent procedure.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic prostatitis. The cases of BPH, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to the need for medical opinions.

Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.,Claims to reopen service connection for erectile dysfunction, left shoulder disability, and right knee condition are granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, but the Board finds that it does not meet or more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating.,There is no current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. The Veteran has hypertension which predates his diabetes and there is no evidence of ischemic heart disease.

The appeal seeking service connection for a right knee condition is dismissed.,The appeal seeking service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.,The appeal seeking service connection for memory loss, loss of concentration, and night terrors is dismissed.,The appeals seeking to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, a kidney condition, hair loss condition, and urinary condition are all dismissed.,The appeal seeking an increased rating for tinnitus is dismissed.,The appeal seeking an increased rating for residuals of traumatic synovitis of the left knee (a left knee disability) is dismissed.,The appeal seeking an increased rating for a left ear hearing loss disability for the period prior to June 6, 2017 is dismissed.,The appeal seeking an increased rating for a bilateral hearing loss disability beginning June 6, 2017, is dismissed.,The appeal seeking an increased rating for gastritis is dismissed.,The appeals seeking earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss disability, right ear hearing loss disability, low back disability, and gastritis are all dismissed.,The appeal seeking a TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) is granted.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that they were not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person (SMC-AA) or at the housebound rate is remanded due to inadequate medical evidence in the record.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to exposure at Camp LeJeune and medication was dismissed because the Veteran withdrew his appeal in September 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient medical opinions.,The Veteran asserts that his conditions are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, and associated complications, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction and restored a 20% disability evaluation for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis. The appeal regarding chronic kidney disease aggravated by hypertension, left lower extremity sensory deficit, right lower extremity sensory deficit, and TDIU prior to February 22, 2016 is still pending.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Thailand.,Service connection is also granted for hypertension secondary to ischemic heart disease.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of erectile dysfunction, heart condition (coronary artery disease), diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for erectile dysfunction and hypertension, as well as his claim for a higher rating for eczema, tinea versicolor, and tinea pedis. The reasons are that additional development is needed due to incomplete factual history and inadequate VA medical opinions.