Prostate cancer decisions — 2012

The Veteran is seeking service connection for prostate cancer and a skin disorder, both potentially related to herbicide exposure during his military service. The case has been remanded due to the need to obtain his service personnel records.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain was granted a 20 percent rating effective December 14, 2011. The prostate cancer and prostatitis were not separately rated as they are considered part of the same disability picture.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for prostate cancer and granted it on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not present in service and has not been shown to be related to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer disability rating from 100% to 60% was proper based on evidence showing no local reoccurrence or metastasis and predominant residuals involving voiding dysfunction and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and its residuals are being remanded for additional examination to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be service connected due to exposure to herbicides during his time in Thailand and Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, which is secondary to his service-connected prostatitis and due to herbicide exposure, has been remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The VA needs to verify if the Veteran set foot in Vietnam during one of his tours of duty.

The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if his asbestos exposure during service caused his prostate cancer.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diverticulitis, and an acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD and anxiety disorder). The claim for service connection for prostate cancer was withdrawn by the Veteran. Service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service stressor. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include anxiety disorder is also denied due to lack of medical evidence linking it to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as there is no credible evidence of radiation exposure during active service, and his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to service or any incident therein.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer evaluation from 100% to 20% was proper, as it complied with applicable regulations and evidence supported such a reduction.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not found to have been incurred during service or as a result of his service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between his claimed conditions and active service.

The Veteran's death was caused by pancreatic cancer, but the Board finds that his service-connected coronary artery disease substantially contributed to his death. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability or one presumed to be incurred in service. The cause of death, prostate cancer with metastasis, is attributed to 'old age' rather than any event or incident of active service.