Prostate cancer decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for immune deficiency, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and prostate cancer due to exposure to carbon tetrachloride as there was no competent evidence of a current disability or association with active duty service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be service connected due to exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam service. The low back disability is not service connected as there is no evidence of a current condition related to service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right inguinal hernia and whether it is related to his service-connected prostate cancer or prostatitis.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is REMANDED due to insufficient evidence. The case will be returned to the RO for further development and readjudication.

The RO proposed to reduce the Veteran's rating for prostate cancer from 100% to 40%, but maintained his SMC at housebound rate. The decision on service connection for diabetes mellitus was granted with an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, and requests that VA obtain records from his unit to determine if he had duty on the ground in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service records do not show any Vietnam service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Board finds that prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic myelogenous leukemia and prostate cancer, finding no evidence of radiation exposure in service and thus not qualifying for the presumptive conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for prostate cancer, to include as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim is denied. The issue of a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer was denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Vet Center records and determining if the Veteran's prostate cancer is related to ionizing radiation exposure during service. The claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are also being considered.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's prostate cancer and his active service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim was denied as the disease did not manifest within the presumptive period.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for prostate cancer adenocarcinoma, status post radical retropubic prostatectomy from 100% to 40%, effective January 1, 2009 was proper.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% disability rating for prostate cancer and denied a compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction. The reduction in prostate cancer rating was improper due to failure to assess local reoccurrence or metastasis post-treatment, while erectile dysfunction did not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is in remission, and he now has urinary frequency and urine leakage requiring the use of absorbent materials less than twice a day. The Board finds that an initial 20 percent evaluation for residuals of prostatectomy is warranted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer, including as due to service-connected prostatitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine if he served in the Korean DMZ and, therefore, may be presumed exposed to herbicides. The VA will request additional information from the United States Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) regarding his service.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to accrued benefits for prostate cancer, finding that there was no reasonable possibility that the Veteran's prostate cancer resulted from in-service radiation exposure.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II and prostate cancer, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure in service or a link to service. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.