Erectile dysfunction Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and testicular cancer. The appeals were based on presumed exposure to herbicides in service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Ocala Regional Medical Center on September 9, 2009, September 11, 2009, and September 15, 2009 are denied as they were not for emergency treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and orthopedic conditions, are found to be in equipoise with his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. Therefore, the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities have been met.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disability, or medications prescribed for treatment.

The Veteran's service connected disabilities are rated at a combined 90 percent and render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, finding that the disability manifested as loss of erectile power without physical deformity of the penis.

The Veteran's total combined rating for service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, rendering him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, or a separate compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, were not met.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension began in service and has been continuously present since then. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, was initially demonstrated many years after service and is not shown to be causally related to his active service or a service-connected disability. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, and osteoarthritis of the left thumb are not shown to be causally related to his active service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied as there is no evidence of any deformity of the penis or loss of any part of the penis.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a leg disability other than peripheral neuropathy, ED, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's dysthymic disorder with anxiety symptoms was rated at 30 percent.

The Board found that there is no credible evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction to his service or service-connected diabetes, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss and a left hand disability. The evidence did not meet the criteria to establish current disabilities for VA purposes.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU, with his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities and therefore cannot meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status. The claim for service connection for various conditions is also denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction are all service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his military service in Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have erectile dysfunction that is related to service or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction preexisted his DM and did not worsen due to the DM.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 70 percent, and his disabilities relate to a common etiology (diabetes mellitus). The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions alone do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.