Prostate cancer decisions — 2014

The Veteran's prostate cancer is found to be service-connected, with no presumption of exposure due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran died in February 2009 due to COPD, with fractured hip and prostate cancer as other significant conditions. The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected and denied both service connection for cause of death and eligibility for service-connected burial benefits.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and prostate cancer. The Veteran's claim for prostate cancer was not established as it did not manifest within the first post-service year or be related to active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer has been rated as 100 percent disabling for nearly 7 years, and this disability is permanent. The Board finds that the appellant-daughter meets the criteria for entitlement to Dependent's Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia with PTSD contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. As a result, the DIC claim is moot.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information provided by the VA Regional Office regarding the Veteran's flight from Don-Muang Air Base, Bangkok, Thailand to Okinawa, Japan on January 19-20, 1971. The claim will be returned for further investigation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not caused by, aggravated by, or related to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine or prostate cancer. The appeal for service connection on these secondary theories is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, PVD, CAD, and hypertension. The reasons were that there was no evidence of in-country service or documented exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a right inguinal hernia are rated as noncompensable. For the period on appeal, his bilateral hearing loss is considered incurred in or as a result of active duty service.

The Veteran's voiding dysfunction, associated with prostate cancer, has been rated at the highest available schedular evaluation (60%) and now warrants an additional 20% rating on an extraschedular basis due to marked interference with employment.

The Veteran seeks service connection for prostate cancer on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The case is REMANDED for the following actions: request any outstanding service personnel records, request from the JSRRC or other appropriate custodian for unit records and logs, readjudicate the claims on the merits.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection as it is presumed due to herbicide exposure in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and kidney stones were not found to be related to his service or exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not shown to be related to his military service or herbicide exposure, and the claim is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for prostate cancer have been denied as there is no diagnosed heart disability at any point during the appeal period. The Veteran has not provided evidence that he currently has ischemic heart disease, which would be required to establish service connection based on presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy, finding no competent evidence of these conditions in service or related to exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's testimony regarding the onset of urinary leakage was not considered sufficient to establish a link between his current condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of colon cancer due to asbestos exposure. The claim for prostate cancer is pending and will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an updated VA examination to address the etiology of his prostate cancer and psychiatric disorders.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death, prostate cancer, was not caused or contributed to by a service-connected disability. The VHA physician concluded that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not play a significant role in his development of prostate cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure and thus not warranting presumptive service connection. The claim was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.