Erectile dysfunction decisions — 2021

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claim for a brain tumor due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction is not manifested by a penile deformity and is currently compensated with a separate award of special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of a creative organ. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for the service-connected ED.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations, as well as requests for private medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer due to potential exposure within the territorial sea of Vietnam. Additional development is needed to determine if his service on USS BRISTER and USS PIEDMONT was within 12 nautical miles of the coast.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a scheduled DRO hearing. The remaining issues are still under review.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of right perforated tympanic membrane, bilateral hearing loss disability, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathies are all denied as there is no evidence to support the presence of these conditions in service or a direct relationship to service.,ED was also denied due to lack of evidence supporting its connection to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective September 12, 2012. The claim for an increased rating must be denied based on a lack of entitlement under the law.,The Veteran filed his claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches more than one year after his separation from active service and years following the first complaints and/or treatment for headaches. An effective date prior to August 24, 2017, is not warranted as the claim was received in August 24, 2017.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, anxiety and mood disorder, and TBI disabilities are currently rated based on their severity under the applicable rating criteria. The claims for increased ratings remain in controversy as less than the maximum benefit available was awarded.,The Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine if he has an eye disability (macular holes) due to his military service. A remand is required to schedule such an examination.,The Veteran's PTSD claim remains pending as there is conflicting evidence of record regarding whether the Veteran currently has PTSD. A new VA examination is needed to clarify this issue.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability, bilateral knee disabilities, cervical strain, and left lower lumbar radiculopathy are rated based on their severity under the applicable rating criteria. The claims for increased ratings remain in controversy as less than the maximum benefit available was awarded.,The Veteran's lumbosacral DDD, right calcaneal spurring, and left lower lumbar radiculopathy disabilities have not been evaluated since April 2019. A new VA examination is needed to evaluate these conditions based on their current severity.,The Veteran's headaches are currently rated as 50 percent disabling under DC 8100. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent remains pending and a remand is required to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his functional impairments, if any.,The Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine whether he should be granted earlier effective dates prior to August 24, 2017. A new VA examination is needed to evaluate these issues based on their current severity.,The Veteran's nonservice-connected pension claim remains pending as the remanded issues could significantly impact this decision.

The Veteran's claims for erectile dysfunction, PTSD, and tinnitus have been dismissed as they were granted in the July 2020 rating decision.,The Veteran’s right little finger disability claim has been remanded due to lack of a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction due to exposure to herbicide agents during reserve duty.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, low back disorder, and hypertension. Service connection was granted for erectile dysfunction (ED) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.,Diabetes, low back disorder, and hypertension were not shown during or within one year after service.

The Board has remanded the claims for erectile dysfunction and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities because there was not substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding the service connection issue, and other issues in another appeal stream concerning severance of service connection are now subject to a separate review.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted, with the condition beginning during active service and being etiologically related to military service.

The Veteran's appeals regarding increased rating for PTSD with opioid and alcohol use disorder, service connection for asthma, and service connection for erectile dysfunction have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a hernia, erectile dysfunction, stomach disability, and right eye disability are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.,The temporary total evaluation based on hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for hernia removal is also being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of erectile dysfunction as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of a stomach disability as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of a right eye disability as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back disability and associated left lower radiculopathy are being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the increased rating claim for his back disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied as there is no indication of penis deformity, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his time at U-Tapao RTAFB. However, the claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to the heart condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to potential service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Veteran's hypertension is being reviewed again as there may be a new update from the National Academy of Sciences regarding its association with Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and development needs. The claims include a paraplegia condition, erectile dysfunction, and neurogenic bladder condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and considering 2018 amendments to the rating criteria for evaluating skin disabilities.