Prostate cancer decisions — 2010

The Veteran's prostate cancer is causally or etiologically related to exposure to TCE during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and depression, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service, including inservice exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for prostate cancer, specifically related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The VA is instructed to obtain and consider additional records from NARA, NPRC, and JSRRC.

The Veteran's cause of death was cardio-respiratory arrest due to brain cancer. The service-connected prostate cancer did not contribute substantially or materially to his death, and there is no reasonable possibility that the brain cancer resulted from exposure to radiation in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, and his claims for increased ratings for anxiety and depressive disorder were granted with a 50% schedular rating effective from April 14, 2006. The TDIU claim is pending.

The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's metastasized liver cancer was related to his military service, specifically due to exposure to herbicides during his time in Vietnam. The cause of death was attributed to hepatorenal syndrome from multiple metastases.

The Veteran's case is being remanded for a travel board hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeal regarding the reduction of the rating for prostate cancer from 100 to 40 percent, effective June 1, 2007.

The Veteran's increased rating for residuals of prostate cancer was denied, as the evidence did not show that he experienced renal dysfunction, voiding dysfunction requiring absorbent materials, daytime urinary frequency with intervals less than one hour, nighttime urinary frequency of five or more times per night, catheterization, or infection. The RO reduced his rating from 100 to 20 percent effective August 1, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and analysis to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 8, 2001, for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ, finding that the claim arose from an original service connection grant and not a claim for an increase. The effective date is set at May 27, 2004.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, initially manifested years after service, is not shown by the preponderance of the competent clinical evidence to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, impotence, peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities, and depression have all been denied as secondary to herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange in Panama.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran died of complications due to cirrhosis of the liver, which is not service-connected. The Board finds that his prostate and bladder cancer did not cause or contribute substantially to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's service in Vietnam, which could affect his claim for service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Veteran is presumed exposed to Agent Orange and may be entitled to service connection for prostate cancer and peripheral neuropathy if these conditions are associated with such exposure.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder, anemia, prostate cancer (claimed as prostate problem), a condition manifested by dizziness, and a condition manifested by easy fatigability. The Veteran did not have any current psychiatric disability that could be linked to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his statement that he is seeking service connection for prostate cancer, not prostatitis.