Prostate cancer decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer were denied. The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death, acute myelogenous leukemia, was not caused by or related to service or a service-connected disability. The appellant's argument for service connection based on exposure to herbicides and secondary to prostate cancer were not supported.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and related issues are being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine the etiology of his condition, including any inservice exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being referred to the Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Services for consideration due to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is not shown to be related to service, including asbestos exposure. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and has been granted. The heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer are presumed due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The claims of service connection for prostate cancer and lung cancer will be reconsidered after the hearing.

PTSD has been rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 70 percent since April 9, 2008.,Prostate cancer was initially rated at 60 percent from May 16, 2008 to November 3, 2009 and then increased to 60 percent effective July 18, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and coronary artery disease, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and insufficient evidence to establish a presumption of such exposure.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and larynx cancer are granted service connection due to herbicide exposure during service. However, the hearing loss and tinnitus issues remain pending as they require further examination.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination. His right ankle disability is also being remanded for an updated evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his prostate cancer. The claims for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and initial ratings for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and residuals of prostate cancer are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA genitourinary examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected prostate cancer residuals. The Veteran may experience multiple distinct degrees of disability resulting in different levels of compensation from the time the initial rating was assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and prostate cancer, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his military service at Eglin Air Force Base. The decision is based on presumptive exposure.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal for prostate cancer at his September 2012 hearing. The claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder requires additional development.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been incurred due to his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not shown to be related to his service, and he did not have another pending claim for service connection. The cause of death was also not attributed to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and whether his prostate cancer is related to such exposure. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board finds that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides in service, and therefore cannot establish presumptive service connection for his claimed conditions.