Prostate cancer decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and cardiovascular disorder due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions based on his service records and medical evidence.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the reduction of prostate cancer rating from 20% to 100%, which was subsequently increased. The Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not service connected as secondary to his prostate cancer, and denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of prostate cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents while stationed at Royal Thai Air Force Bases in Thailand, which supports his claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been incurred during his service in Thailand due to herbicide exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify the Veteran's claimed Vietnam service and to determine if any transport aircraft based at the Dallas Naval Air Station carried passengers or supplies to South East Asia in 1968.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to May 12, 2009 for the grant of special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is denied as there was no claim filed before April 7, 2010 and the earliest evidence of record showing erectile dysfunction is dated in June 2009.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and loss of use of a creative organ were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The Board found that he was not exposed to herbicides during service, thus precluding presumptive service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's prostate cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as bladder cancer, but the Board found that his prostate cancer also contributed to his death. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death due to the presumed link between Agent Orange exposure and prostate cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of colon cancer, prostate cancer, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and anxiety), and hemorrhoids are denied as there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for multiple myeloma as secondary to herbicide exposure and granted it. Service connection was also granted for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type 2 as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities from September 1, 2012 to April 29, 2013.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to herbicides (including Agent Orange), pesticides, and asbestos.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of prostate cancer and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to November 30, 2007 for service connection of prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure. The appeal was addressed as a matter of law and no further assistance is warranted.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease are service-connected due to exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. The acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is also service-connected based on the presumption of service connection for conditions related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the reduction from 100% to 40% for prostate cancer residuals was improper and restored a 100% rating. The issue of an increased disability rating for prostate cancer in excess of 40 percent is dismissed as moot due to the restoration of the 100% rating.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during active duty at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand is presumed. The claim is now granted.