Prostate cancer decisions — 2011

The Veteran died from a hemorrhagic stroke, but the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death. The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, which he asserts is due to herbicide exposure, was denied as there is no credible evidence of such exposure. The Board also found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and therefore cannot establish direct service connection. For pension purposes, the Veteran's claim remains pending as additional records are needed.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, prostate cancer, was not related to any service-connected disability and denied DIC benefits based on service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, which he claims was caused by herbicide exposure in Thailand, is being remanded due to the lack of evidence showing his service in Vietnam and the need to verify his claimed exposure. The VA will attempt to obtain missing service treatment records, SSA disability benefits information, and JSRRC verification.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer, which was caused by presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam, contributed substantially or materially to his death. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was acute respiratory arrest and metastatic prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, claimed as a residual of Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded due to the need to verify Thailand herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and SMC were granted with an effective date of June 15, 2009. The RO later determined there was CUE in the effective dates and changed them to June 19, 2009.,An earlier effective date is not warranted as there is no evidence of a prior claim or intent to apply for benefits.

The Veteran disagrees with the initial disability rating of 20 percent for his radial nerve damage to the right arm, and requests a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred or aggravated by active service and cannot be presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The claim is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and compensation due to the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction. The effective date of January 12, 2009 was established based on presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, and service connection for various conditions. The effective date of the temporary total disability rating for surgery necessitating convalescence is set at September 3, 2003.

The Board found that the Veteran's prostate cancer is not related to his active military service and was denied entitlement to service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the claimed conditions to his military service, and thus could not grant service connection.

The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is being remanded for further development to determine if he was exposed to Agent Orange during his service on Guam from 1960 to 1962.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for prostate cancer with prostatectomy, effective January 3, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, secondary to herbicide exposure is being remanded due to the need for additional development and verification of his alleged exposure in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service and not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's aspermia, prostate cancer, and vitiligo were all incurred in his active service. The Board determined that there was no evidence to support a finding of radiation exposure or any other specific service connection theory.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was reduced from a 100% evaluation to a 60% evaluation effective February 1, 2007. His residuals of prostate cancer have resulted in continual urine leakage requiring six to twelve pads a day.