Prostate cancer decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer are not service-connected due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The duodenal ulcer disease claim is granted with restoration of a 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to completion of its appellate review due to missing VA medical records from before 2001 and relevant to the claimed disabilities on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's prostate cancer, effective June 17, 2004. The veteran previously had a 20 percent rating prior to that date.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the service-connected chronic prostatitis and has determined that prostate cancer is secondary to the service-connected chronic prostatitis.

The veteran is granted nonservice-connected disability pension benefits with special monthly pension by reason of the need for aid and attendance due to multiple orthopedic problems, visual impairment, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and prostate cancer.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance, finding that there was no evidence linking his prostate cancer to his military service or any other condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have prostate cancer, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for mesothelioma and prostate cancer are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of his claim.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of staged ratings if warranted.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the disability rating for residuals of prostate cancer from 100% to 40% was warranted and has not granted restoration.

The veteran's residuals of prostate cancer surgery require him to change absorbent materials more than four times per day, warranting a 60 percent rating. However, his prostate cancer has not recurred and he does not have any other symptoms that would justify a higher evaluation.

The veteran's prostate cancer was rated at 100% from December 1, 2002 to June 2, 2005. The RO reduced the rating to 20%, effective November 30, 2002, based on voiding dysfunction. A 40% evaluation is granted for this period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's prostate cancer, status post radical prostatectomy, warrants a rating of 20 percent based on urinary frequency.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer and impotence, finding no evidence to support these conditions as a result of his military service or herbicide exposure.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verifying the claimed aircraft crash and obtaining information from the Air Force. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's prostate cancer and type II diabetes mellitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further review of his claim, including consideration of additional evidence and a Statement of the Case regarding an earlier effective date for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus could not establish exposure to herbicides. The prostate cancer was not shown to have been incurred or aggravated during service, and there is no evidence of a connection between the current condition and service.

The RO reduced the veteran's service-connected prostate cancer evaluation from 100 percent to 10 percent effective on January 1, 2003. The case is being remanded for a more contemporaneous VA examination.